Paulo Dybala Reflects on Roma and Mourinho's Impact
Paulo Dybala has never hidden how much Roma has got under his skin. This time, speaking in a long-form chat with YouTuber Davoo, the Argentine went a step further, lifting the curtain on the figure he credits for bringing him to the capital and on one of the most painful nights of his career.
Mourinho is a genius
As his contract renewal with Roma edges closer, Dybala looked back to the summer that changed everything for him. At the centre of it, one man.
“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 simple summary of a complex relationship. Mourinho didn’t just convince a free-agent star to sign; he built a bond that still clearly resonates. The respect in Dybala’s words mirrors the affection the city still holds for the Portuguese coach, despite his departure.
Keeping an eye on El Ayanoui
The interview also drifted to the present, to a teammate whose stock is rising rapidly. Dybala highlighted El Ayanoui, his colleague at Roma and an important figure for Morocco at the World Cup.
“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, sharp praise, but telling. In a squad that has seen its share of turnover and pressure, Dybala’s endorsement underlines both the midfielder’s form on the biggest stage and his character inside the dressing room.
The scar of Budapest
Then came the subject that still stings. The Europa League final defeat to Sevilla, a night overshadowed by controversy and by the performance of referee Anthony Taylor.
Dybala did not hide his frustration. He pointed straight at the key incident and everything that surrounded it.
“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 reopen a wound that has never fully healed in Rome. The sense of injustice, the feeling that the contest slipped away not just through footballing details but through decisions that tilted the balance.
Dybala carries that night with him. Yet as he prepares to sign on again with Roma, the message is clear: the pain of what was lost, the gratitude for how it all began with Mourinho, and the belief in the teammates alongside him are all part of the same story.
The next chapter will be written in the same city where that hurt still lingers.
