Mourinho on warpath as derby day enflames Roman passions
Mourinho's side will have two days' less preparation as they are at Slavia Prague on Thursday evening in the Europa League while Lazio narrowly beat Feyenoord in more rarified air on Tuesday.
The Portuguese has had a bone to pick with the scheduling and has been involved in a spat with Serie A bosses over his claims Roma have been deliberately hobbled by the league.
Lazio boss Maurizio Sarri poured petrol on the flames on Tuesday night by belittling Mourinho's complaints, saying that Roma were "playing a friendly in Prague".
Mourinho, whose team are four points from the Champions League positions in seventh, one ahead of Lazio, blasted Sarri on Wednesday, saying "If anyone should be offended it's Slavia, the people of Prague".
"I respect the opposition. The difference between a coach who has won 26 trophies and one who has won hardly any is that mentality," Mourinho told reporters.
Mourinho has lost three of his four matches against Sarri's Lazio since they both took over the capital clubs in the summer of 2021. But Sarri has had a trickier time this season than last, when his finished second to champions Napoli, who host struggling Empoli on Sunday afternoon.
Sarri's task against Roma will be made harder by the likely absences of key midfielder Luis Alberto and Italy winger Mattia Zaccagni. Both were injured during Tuesday's battle with Feyenoord, which reignited Lazio's bid to reach the last 16 of the Champions League.
Roma meanwhile should be able to count on talisman Paulo Dybala who returned in style in last weekend's last-gasp win over Lecce and is likely to be on the bench in Prague, perhaps thinking ahead to possibly Italy's most volatile derby.
Battling with Roma and Lazio for the European positions are Fiorentina andBo
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