Jose Mourinho’s Roma take on Lazio in the Derby della Capitale on Sunday night and ahead of the clash, their time in the Eternal City went under the microscope

Jose Mourinho has sarcastically refused to respond to Zdenek Zeman’s criticism of his move to Roma – with a reminder of his previous successes.

The Special One is still in his first season with the Serie A giants who returned to Italy after being sacked by Tottenham at the end of the last term. Roma have been the biggest spenders in the Italian top flight, with hopes Mourinho could challenge them for the title.

However, the enigmatic Portuguese manager’s debut campaign has had its ups and downs and the Giallorossi now face a fair battle to secure a place in the top four. And ahead of Sunday’s Derby della Capitale with Lazio, Zeman, who succeeded on both sides of the Roman divide during a managerial career spanning nearly 50 years, took aim at the man currently in the Roma dugout .

Now in charge of Foggia, Zeman was asked which ex-Chelsea manager he prefers out of Mourinho and Maurizio Sarri, with the two playing each other this weekend: “Sarri, and it’s not about preferences. Sarri does a much better job, he has already given an identity to his team. Mourinho so far is a big disappointment, especially in terms of the quality of football displayed. Lazio are much more organised.

“Of course, he gave young people a chance… in the last ten minutes! And then back to the bench, they go. If a kid plays a game here, a game there, and then he’s sent back to the bench, he won’t grow up.

Zeman added: “Today Lazio are clear favorites to win the derby. But usually in the derby it’s not just about who is in better shape or who has won more games.

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Mourinho was asked about Zeman’s comments but instead highlighted their respective successes over their careers, with the latter spending much of his time away from the top of the game.

He said: “Do you expect a manager who has won 25 trophies to respond to someone who has won Serie B twice? If you ask me a question about Giovanni Trapattoni or Fabio Capello, I will answer with pleasure, but Zeman… please. I can not.

Roma are desperate for the three points, knowing victory would see them overtake their neighbours, with Mourinho praising his side’s resilience ahead of the clash. “It’s a derby. It’s never a game like any other. I’ve played a lot of derbies in my life and I’m used to these emotions. The feeling you get here is even better when the stadium is full of fans.

“For a while the fans couldn’t attend these games, but now they are there, just like the players, the two worlds merge and it also becomes a fan derby. Football without fans is not not football. A derby without fans is not a derby.

Mourinho added: “The right approach is always important. Always, not just in the derby. If you win you have to have the strength to keep that result in your favor, if you lose you have to have the strength to try to get something out of it until the very end,” he continued.

“If we want to go back to the first leg against Lazio, it was 3-2 for them and we fought for a better result until the last second. The game against Juventus is now infamous. In the last minutes , we could have equalized If this team has a characteristic that makes me believe in a better result, it is the fact that the team is always in, never out.