Jose Mourinho said he realises why is it "tough" to work at Roma, but the Portuguese boss is having "fun" in the Italian capital.
Mourinho returned to Serie A as Roma head coach at the start of the season after he was sacked by Tottenham last term.
The Giallorossi have not won the Scudetto since 2001, while not since 2008 have they claimed silverware.
Mourinho has found himself under some pressure in the wake of Roma's shock 6-1 humbling at Bodo-Glimt in the Europa Conference League last week, with the former treble-winning Inter coach scathing of his players in the aftermath.
As Roma prepare to welcome high-flying Milan to the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday, Mourinho was in a combative mood during his pre-game news conference.
"You always find the negative side of any situation," Mourinho told reporters when asked about Roma conceding goals after the restart. "It would be more frustrating for me to concede a goal in the first five minutes of the match. Honestly, I am impressed by your ability to pick the negatives out of everything.
"I am starting to understand why Roma is a difficult place to work. In other clubs, you feel more protection and positivity with the fans at home. Maybe in Rome it's more difficult for that too, but that's okay, it's still fun this way."
Mourinho's Roma are fourth in Serie A, nine points behind Milan and Napoli through 10 rounds of the season.
After losing his first match against Milan in Serie A in 2008, Mourinho has won each of his last three top-flight matches against the Rossoneri, with eight goals scored and only one conceded.
In each of the previous nine occasions – in the era of three points per win – in which Roma have won at least six of the first 10 Serie A games, they have then finished within the top three positions in the table (currently six wins, one draw and three defeats).
"I like to play against the best and I think I convey well to the players this feeling of pleasure when playing against teams that are playing well, are higher than us in the standings and that have different goals than ours," Mourinho said.
"From this point of view, there are no problems, only motivations. When I was in Italy, Pioli did not coach in Serie A. Our teams have never played against. I will have the pleasure of meeting him and greeting him before and after the game. His work maybe has some similarities to what I have to do here.
"He deserves a lot of credit for what he is doing, but from the outside, it seems to me that we're talking about a club effort: behind him there are people like [Paolo] Maldini, just to give an example, and there is a good, stable structure, a squad that improves in every transfer window.
"If you compare the squad he first had and the one he has now – a very good evolution of the club, which is in a good position now, plays in the Champions League and is first or second in the standings. They're doing very well."
Premier League record falls as 2023-24 becomes most goal-laden 20-team season
The current Premier League season has become the most goal-laden 20-team campaign in the competition's history, with Harry Maguire the unlikely man to seal 2023-24's place in history.
Maguire scored Manchester United's first equaliser as they twice fought from behind to clinch a 4-2 win over Sheffield United on Wednesday, with Bruno Fernandes netting twice in the second half.
The centre-back's 42nd-minute header was a significant moment, representing the 1,085th goal scored in the Premier League this term.
That is the most ever scored in a season containing 20 teams, since 1995-96.
The 2022-23 season saw 1,084 goals scored, a tally that was reached on the final day to surpass the previous 20-team record of 1,072, set in 2018-19.
It was somewhat fitting for the record-breaking goal to be conceded by Sheffield United, who have certainly played their part in making 2023-24 the most goal-laden season to date.
The Blades have now shipped 92 goals this term, the most ever conceded in a 38-game Premier League campaign.
With four games to come, including a rematch with a Newcastle United team that thrashed them 8-0 earlier this campaign, the prospect of Chris Wilder's men bringing up triple figures is a realistic one.
Atalanta 4-1 Fiorentina (4-2 aggregate): Gasperini's team into Coppa Italia final
Atalanta beat 10-man Fiorentina 4-1 in the second leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final on Wednesday to send them into the final with a 4-2 aggregate victory.
Ademola Lookman and Mario Pasalic netted in stoppage time to settle a thrilling tie, and Gian Piero Gasperini's Atalanta, who are also into the Europa League semi-finals, will now face 14-time Coppa Italia winners Juventus on May 15.
Atalanta, who lost the first leg 1-0, were quick to level the tie when midfielder Teun Koopmeiners scored in the eighth minute. However, Fiorentina defender Lucas Martinez Quarta netted with a header following a free kick after the break.
Gianluca Scamacca then levelled the tie again in the 75th minute with a stunning scissor kick, before Lookman made it 3-1 on the night in stoppage time, paving the way for Pasalic to put matters to bed.
Data Debrief
Atalanta are the first team to qualify for the Coppa Italia final after having lost the first leg since 2014-15, when Juve overturned a first-leg defeat... which also came against Fiorentina.
Koopmeiners, meanwhile, is the midfielder who scored the most goals in all competitions this season among those playing in Serie A (14).
PSG made to wait for Ligue 1 title after Monaco overcome Lille
PSG were forced to put their Ligue 1 title celebrations on ice after second-placed Monaco overcame Lille on Wednesday.
Luis Enrique's side swept aside Lorient 4-1 after doubles from Ousmane Dembele and Kylian Mbappe, putting the pressure on the chasing Monaco.
Yet Youssouf Fofana's third league goal of the season edged Adi Hutter's team to a 1-0 victory, delaying PSG's inevitable title success – barring a miraculous collapse.
PSG, who also have a two-legged Champions League semi-final with Borussia Dortmund to come in May, are 11 points clear with just four top-flight games remaining.
Having lost just once in Ligue 1 all season, PSG would secure back-to-back top-flight crowns if they overcome Le Havre on Saturday at Parc des Princes.
Though victory appears likely against relegation-threatened Le Havre, the Parisians would still be crowned champions without victory if Monaco fail to win on their visit to Lyon the following day.
Given the clash with Dortmund comes just four days after meeting Le Havre, Luis Enrique may rest the likes Bradley Barcola, Marquinhos, Achraf Hakimi, Vitinha and Warren Zaire-Emery, as he did against Lorient.
While the title remains in PSG's hands, Monaco at least took a step closer to Champions League qualification with victory over Lille, sitting 10 points clear of fifth-placed Nice.
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