AS Roma coach Jose Mourinho is delighted to have re-established the club as a European force.

Under Mourinho, Roma have won the Europa Conference League and reached the final of the Europa League last season.

Ahead of their opening Europa League group fixture with Sheriff Tiraspol tonight, Mourinho said: "The two finals we played, the semi-finals, the quarter-finals, were emotionally important moments for building a united Roma.

"Going to Tirana and Budapest is a source of pride for the fans. During the group stage the only objective is to get through the round. If you finish second, you have two more games that you don't need. Last year we made a mistake in our debut, losing in Ludogorets, and this put us under pressure. From tomorrow we will try to build a group that allows us to qualify first.

"For me it is difficult to choose matches and even more so competitions. For me the most important match is always the next one. Now we are in Europe and for me now the most important competition is the Europa League.

"Beyond the title we won and the one they didn't let us win, I think this helps us build a socially and emotionally stronger Roma. If you remember the match against Bodø, with Leicester, with Bayer Leverkusen, I think that these matches on a social, emotional and empathy level help Roma to grow."