Europa Conference League: Leicester City hold AS Roma as Feyenoord edge Marseille in Conference League semis

The tie, which pits Mourinho against Brendan Rodgers, his one-time protege on the coaching staff at Chelsea, is now poised ahead of next week’s return in Italy.

“I thought we played ever so well, really dominated the game, and I am very pleased with the performance,” Rodgers told broadcaster BT Sport.

Mourinho is hoping to add the new third-tier European trophy to his collection having won two Champions Leagues, a UEFA Cup and a Europa League during his managerial career, and Roma could not have asked for a better start.

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They went ahead on the quarter-hour mark when Nicola Zalewski collected the ball on the left and powered forward before playing in captain Pellegrini to fire low past Kasper Schmeichel in the Leicester goal.

Last season’s FA Cup winners, who dropped into the Conference League after going out of the Europa League in the group stage, were then dealt a blow as Timothy Castagne was forced off midway through the first half.

Lookman tested goalkeeper Rui Patricio from range just after the half-hour mark but it was the second-half introduction of Barnes that proved crucial in getting the Premier League side back on level terms.

Barnes replaced Marc Albrighton at the same time Kelechi Iheanacho was sent on for Jamie Vardy, the veteran forward making his first start since early March following his latest injury setback.

Europa Conference League: Leicester City hold AS Roma as Feyenoord edge Marseille in Conference League semis

It was Barnes who drove into the box before drilling a low ball in from the left side of the area towards Nigerian international Lookman. Italian international defender Mancini ended up helping the ball over the line to make it 1-1.

Rui Patricio then tipped an Iheanacho shot around the post and Leicester — whose former striker Gary Lineker was watching from the stands — will have to find a way of winning in Rome if they are to reach the final in the Albanian capital Tirana at the end of next month.

“We played an opponent with a different culture, a different intensity and to take everything to Rome is good for us,” Mourinho told BT Sport.

“I’m not saying it’s easy but it’s good to go home with this result. Let’s go for the final. I’m not speaking about the final in Tirana, but the ‘final’ in Rome.”

Feyenoord beat Marseille 3-2 in Rotterdam, throwing away a two-goal lead before being gifted what proved to be the winner on the night right at the start of the second half.

Colombian forward Luis Sinisterra laid the ball off for Cyriel Dessers to open the scoring for the Dutch side in the 18th minute, and Sinisterra doubled their lead just two minutes later, sweeping home from a Reiss Nelson assist with his shot deflecting in off Valentin Rongier.