Jose Mourinho has been sacked by Italian side Roma after two-and-a-half years in charge.

The Portuguese manager, 60, joined the Serie A side in May 2021 and won the Europa Conference League in May 2022.

The former Chelsea, Manchester United, and Real Madrid boss also guided the Italian club to the Europa League final last year, where they were defeated by Sevilla on penalties.

But Roma have won just one of their last six Serie A games this season – leaving them ninth in the table – and were recently knocked out of the Coppa Italia by city rivals Lazio.

He compared himself to Harry Potter following that defeat – in which he received a red card for the second successive game – saying he was “raising expectations” for what the club can achieve.

The club’s American owners, Dan and Ryan Friedkin, thanked Mourinho for his “passion and efforts” in a statement announcing his sacking.

“We will always have great memories of his tenure at Roma, but we believe that an immediate change is in the best interests of the club,” they said in the statement.

“We wish Jose and his assistants all the best in their future endeavours.”

Mourinho – one of the most decorated football managers of all time – began his managerial career at Portuguese side Benfica in the early 2000s.

But he rose to prominence as manager of rivals Porto, guiding them to two Portuguese league titles, a UEFA Cup, and a sensational Champions League win in 2004.

He joined Chelsea the following season, famously declaring “I think I am a special one” in his first press conference, earning himself the nickname “The Special One”.

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Mourinho won two Premier League titles and three cups during his first spell at Stamford Bridge, before being sacked and joining Inter Milan, where he won two Italian league titles and a second Champions League.

Mourinho then joined Spanish giants Real Madrid, winning one La Liga title, before a second spell at Stamford Bridge, in which he won his third Premier League.

He later had spells at Manchester United – winning a Europa League title – and Tottenham Hotspur, before joining Roma.

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