Paulo Dybala Reflects on Mourinho and Roma's Future
Paulo Dybala is staying in Rome, and he is very clear about who opened the door to the capital for him.
As he prepares to sign a contract renewal with Roma, the Argentine forward sat down with YouTuber Davoo for a wide‑ranging conversation, later reported by Corriere dello Sport. Between memories, gratitude and a lingering sense of injustice, one name kept returning: José Mourinho.
“Mourinho is a genius”
Dybala did not dilute his admiration for the former Roma coach.
“Mourinho is a genius and a great person. He always spoke to us with respect, he took care of us, he loved us, and in Rome the people fell in love with him for what he gave. Thanks to him, I arrived in the capital.”
It is a line that underlines just how decisive Mourinho was in the 2022 move that electrified the city. Dybala arrived as a free agent and instantly became the technical and emotional reference point of a team that mirrored its coach’s intensity. The bond clearly survives Mourinho’s departure.
Keeping an eye on El Ayanoui
The Roma forward also turned his attention to a current teammate enjoying a standout international tournament: El Ayanoui, a key figure for Morocco at the World Cup and now part of the Giallorossi setup.
“He's having a great World Cup, I'm following him. And at Roma, besides saying he's a strong player, he's also a good guy.”
Short, direct praise, but telling. Dybala highlighted both the midfielder’s impact on the pitch and his character off it, a combination Roma will lean on as they try to build a new core around their star names.
The scar of Budapest
The conversation inevitably drifted back to one of the most painful nights of Dybala’s time in Rome: the Europa League final defeat to Sevilla, shaped by a series of controversial decisions by referee Anthony Taylor.
Dybala did not hide his frustration.
“It's true, the handball was absurd, but that wasn't the only thing that happened during the match. There were several moments when the referee called strange things: he didn't issue any cards, he was very lenient with some Sevilla players. And then that handball would have rewritten the final result if he had awarded the penalty. It really hurt me to lose that final.”
The words still carry an edge. The sense that something slipped away not just through footballing detail, but through decisions that tilted the balance on a night when Roma stood on the brink of a European trophy.
That wound has not fully closed. Yet Dybala’s stance is revealing: rooted in grievance, yes, but also in the conviction that Roma belonged on that stage and can get back there. With a new contract on the table and his faith in the club undimmed, the Argentine is clearly betting that nights like Budapest will not be the end of the story, but the fuel for what comes next.
