'He believed the rumours' — Roma captain uncovers feud with ex-boss Jose Mourinho

Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini has opened up about a strain in his relationship with former coach Jose Mourinho after the Portuguese gaffer was sacked by the Gialorossi.

Pellegrini confirmed that Mourinho left a message in his locker after being sacked, which did not go down well with the Roma team.

The message reportedly included a photograph of them celebrating their UEFA Conference League triumph, the ring given to Mourinho for his 60th birthday by the players, and the words "When you become men, you can give it back to me."

In an interview with Il Messaggero, Pellegrini spoke about the emotional impact of Mourinho's actions, saying, "I cannot deny it, I was upset by his reaction. After all the emotions we shared together, I would’ve preferred he say things to my face.

Despite the tension, Pellegrini revealed that he and Mourinho eventually cleared the air during a phone call after the coach's departure, saying, “I did the only thing I could do considering he had already left the training ground: I called him up and we chatted for a long time. I realised what he was going through.

The Italian midfielder further stated that the pair had patched things up following their discussions, saying, "There are no problems between us, though, we cleared the air. What we needed to say was said. Mourinho remains a coach I will always be grateful to."

Since leaving Roma at the start of the year, Mourinho has found a new home in Fenerbahce, where he hopes to bring the Turkish side domestic and international success.