18 January 2024 , 12:18
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Chris Smalling has responded to criticism from Jose Mourinho about his recent injury problems, having not played for Roma since September due to a knee issue.
The former Manchester United defender has now been out of action for almost five months, while Mourinho was sacked by Roma earlier this month with the club sat ninth in Serie A following a disappointing start to the season.
Speaking back in November, Mourinho claimed Smalling "isn't capable of playing through pain" and that he "holds something back" as a result. "Regarding Smalling, the injury is very much there," he told reporters.
"There are also regular people like us, who aren't high-performance athletes, who have a greater pain threshold. Maybe I can sleep fine with toothache, maybe you struggle. That's how it is.
"Smalling isn't capable of playing through pain. He holds something back. His specific issue is a real challenge. It's really frustrating for me because his position – centre back – is where we're most desperate for players."
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Smalling has now hit back at his former boss and rubbished reports linking him with a move away. "Since signing for AS Roma in 2019, my commitment and loyalty to the club has never wavered," he wrote in a lengthy post on Instagram.
"The minute I stepped foot in Roma, I instantly felt at home. Roma is my home, and the relationship I have built with AS Roma fans is something I cherish dearly. For that reason I wanted to jump on here to address some of the rumours that I have seen circulating over recent months.
Chris Smalling posted a lengthy message to supporters on his Instagram story (Instagram/@smalling)
Smalling has now responded to comments Mourinho made about him in November (Fabio Rossi/AS Roma via Getty Images)"Let me start by clarifying that I have never asked to, nor even contemplated, leaving this great club. Speaking openly, the last few months have proved to be some of the most frustrating of my career.
"There are things in this game and in life that we can control, and others we simply can't. This injury has been one thing that we couldn't. No footballer wants to spend their days in a treatment room, and this period of time away from my teammates has challenged me, with setback after setback.
"I have, and will always, put the needs of my team-mates first, but the absolute priority for the medical team is to guarantee that I can play a significant role in the latter part of the season and for seasons to come."