Nigerian international striker Victor Boniface has revealed details of a past exchange with legendary manager José Mourinho that occurred before AS Roma's humiliating 6-1 defeat to Bodo/Glimt in the UEFA Conference League.
Speaking on The CultureLeaguePodcast, Boniface, who previously played for the Norwegian club before joining Bayer Leverkusen, recounted how Mourinho had documented the challenging weather conditions in Bodo, a small city in Norway surrounded by sea.
"I played in Norway, one of the coldest countries in the world. I played for Bodø/Glimt, the city is too small… it's surrounded by sea. It is freezing," Boniface explained.
The Super Eagles forward continued, "Mourinho came to the pitch, walked inside, took his phone, recorded everything and posted: 'This is the situation, we're about to play, very cold.'"
Boniface, who was recovering from a cruciate ligament injury at the time and did not participate in the match, revealed his response to Mourinho's social media post: "I commented on that same post because I didn't know I'd be at this level today. I said to him, 'You never see anything.'"
The historic match took place on October 21, 2021, when the Norwegian club handed Mourinho's Roma side one of the most embarrassing defeats of his managerial career in the group stage of the UEFA Conference League.
Boniface has since risen to prominence in European football, currently playing for Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen after his successful stint in Norway with Bodo/Glimt.
The Nigerian striker's revelation offers an interesting glimpse into the challenges European teams face when playing in extreme conditions, particularly in northern European venues where weather can become a significant factor in matches.
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