JOSE MOURINHO savagely brought off midfielder Renato Sanches just 18 MINUTES after bringing him on during Roma’s 2-0 defeat away at Bologna.
With the visitors trailing 1-0 at half-time, Mourinho brought the Paris Saint-Germain loanee, 26, on for Leonardo Spinazzola.
Renato Sanches was left baffled as he was subbed off 18 minutes after coming on
Jose Mourinho did not look at the midfielder as he made his way off the pitch
Edoardo Bove replaced Sanches in the second half
Roma then went further behind through a Rasmus Kristensen own goal just four minutes into the second period.
And shortly after the hour mark, Mourinho hauled Sanches off, replacing him with Edoardo Bove.
According to Fabrizio Romano, this was a “technical decision” and not due to an injury.
Sanches, who played 12 Premier League games while on loan at Swansea in the 2017/18 season, was visibly surprised he was coming off after such a brief stint on the pitch.
And Mourinho did not even look in the midfielder’s direction as he made his way off.
But very little changed after the tactical switch as the score remained 2-0, a loss that leaves Roma three points adrift of Serie A‘s top four in seventh place.
But the decision to substitute a substitute should come as no surprise to those that have followed Mourinho’s career.
While Tottenham manager, the Portuguese coach hooked Eric Dier in the 28th minute when Spurs trailed Olympiacos 4-2 in a 2019 Champions League group stage match.
Sanches endured a rough time on loan in the Premier League with SwanseaReuters
Sanches has scored one goal in five Serie A games for Roma
On that occasion, Mourinho’s men came back to win 4-2, before he later issued an apology to Dier.
He also carried out a similarly brutal move while at Chelsea.
During a Premier League clash with Fulham in 2006, Mourinho substituted Joe Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips in the 26th minute for Damien Duff and Didier Drogba.
But it had little impact as the Blues lost 1-0 at Craven Cottage.