Roma coach Mourinho: Lazio draw a fair result

AS Roma coach Jose Mourinho felt their 0-0 draw with Lazio was a fair result.

The two teams played out a balanced game with few chances at the Olimpico on Sunday.

“It feels like a point. We play to win, a point is positive, it's better than a defeat, especially against a team with more or less the same objectives. It's a point," Mourinho told DAZN.

“The players in the best shape were chosen, especially in midfield. Renato Sanches, Pellegrini, Aouar are not in the best condition. We chose players who had the heart, mind, legs and nerves to play a game of this level.

“My strategy was to use the wing-backs who could compensate for the way Lazio play, as it was very, very tough for Spinazzola and Karsdorp."

“We had only three defenders available. When the referee has the criteria against us – only against us – to give two yellow cards to centre-backs in the first 20 minutes, that makes it very difficult for us.

“That changes the game tactically too. I told Karsdorp never jump on Marusic, as it gives an opportunity for Pedro to run into space, he's fantastic at that.

“I thought the lads played with character, they saw a lot of the ball, I think it was roughly 50-50. We had a few scoring opportunities, I think if Bove was fresh, he'd have scored at least one of them."

On his exchanges with Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri, he added: “He is always good fun with me, we joked around before the game about the words that were exchanged during the week. I also said something that is true, we do like each other.

“We joked after the match that the meaning of the draw is for the next two weeks neither of us will smile, but we won't cry either. That's the meaning of a draw."