Roma look to pile pressure at the top

January 30, 2010

Roma are looking to pile further misery on strugglers Siena on Sunday in order to keep up the pressure on Serie A leaders Internazionale.

The Giallorossi expect to clinch their fifth win in six games against rock-bottom Siena and reduce their current 11-point deficit on Inter.

And with the prospect of climbing into second place above AC Milan, if the Rossoneri lose to Livorno, motivation will not be lacking for Claudio Ranieri’s men.

Ranieri and co have reason to be optimistic as his side followed their 2-1 win at Juventus with a 1-0 triumph over Catania in midweek to reach the Coppa Italia semi-finals.

“We can compete in all competitions if luck is on our side,” said Roma midfielder Simone Perrotta.

“We are humble and we have the determination to go all the way in all the competitions.

“We want to hand our fans great joy this campaign.

“Three months ago we were considered a group that couldn’t get the job done and now we are third in the standings and still alive in the Champions League and the Coppa Italia.

“We have to enjoy the moment.”

It is all the more pleasing for Roma considering they have had to cope without injured captain Francesco Totti since the start of the year.

However, the Giallorossi have shown no signs of slowing down, scoring six goals and giving away just one in their last three league games.

With Totti still out with a knee injury and striker Luca Toni also unavailable with a calf problem, Ranieri will rely on Mirko Vucinic and Julio Baptista to deliver in front of goal.

Tags: ac milan, captain Francesco Totti, catania, Claudio Ranieri, coppa italia, giallorossi, great joy, julio baptista, knee injury, league games, livorno, luca toni, midweek, Milan, Mirko Vucinic, point deficit, rock bottom, Roma, rossoneri, semi finals, Siena, Simone Perrotta, six games, Toni

Roma trying to script a ‘Roman tragedy’ for Basel

December 3, 2009

AS Roma’s fortune’s have turned for good. From faltering Roman giants and nearly becoming a Roman tragedy, the Stadio Olimpico tenants are looking to turn their season around following a mixed September and a torrid October month.

If Luciano Spalleti’s decision to step down was shocking, then the Giallorossi’s 2-0 defeat at St. Jakob-Park to FC Basel 1893 on Matchday 1 of Europa League would have been a hammer blow for the Roman faithful.

But after putting in a string of gritty displays, which includes a 1-1 draw against Internazionale Milano FC at the San Siro, the team now led by Claudio Ranieri is galloping fast in the right direction.

Even Ranieri feels that his team is different from the one that surrendered to Basel at St. Jakob-Park.

“I had just arrived,” said the former Chelsea and Juventus coach, who replaced Luciano Spalletti in September.

“That was not the real Roma – I hope Basel see it this time. We’re doing well, but I’ve told my players I’m not satisfied yet. We have to keep on doing good things and taking care of every small detail.”

However, with two matchdays remaining, four points separate the top three teams with Basel leading the way on nine points, Roma two points adrift and Fulham FC on five.

A win at the Stadio Olimpico will be priceless as it would take Roma through to the round of 32, regardless of how Fulham get on at home to PFC CSKA Sofia in the night’s other match, as Basel host the English side in their final fixture.

But the hope of achieving a victory also comes with added pressure of not conceding a defeat and Ranieri certainly knows that.

“We want to go through and we know if we lose we would almost be eliminated,” he said.

“We can’t underestimate this match; Basel are a great team and they have already beaten us. They deserved that victory, but now we need to win if we want to reach the next round. I don’t want my players to concede this time; that has been a problem for us this season.”

Even on the run of a five match unbeaten streak, Ranieri’s selection head-aches haven’t lessened.

Daniele De Rossi is doubtful as he recovers from a kidney infection and fractured cheekbone and the coach may also elect to leave out captain Francesco Totti and defender Juan.

Add to coach Thorsten Fink’s confidence of his Basel side making it through to the round of 32, the Stadio Olimpico will be treated to a highly competitive fixture, come Matchday 4 on Thursday night.

Fink knows the size of the task and has pledged not to give Roma an easy ride, regardless of who they field.

“We respect Roma, but we do not fear them,” he said.

“The Giallorossi are clear favourites to win the group, but we are the leaders and we’ll do our best to stay on top. Roma are much more better now than they were in the first match we played, but we want to make the most of our chances. We believe we can qualify.”

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: captain Francesco Totti, CHELSEA, Claudio Ranieri, cska sofia, fortune, fulham, fulham fc, giallorossi, giants, hammer blow, internazionale milano, Juan, juventus, leading the way, luciano spalletti, matchday, pfc, right direction, Roma, San, san siro, Sofia, st jakob park, St. Jakob, stadio olimpico, torrid

Totti set for another knee op

October 27, 2009

AS Roma captain Francesco Totti is to have surgery on his right knee, which was already operated on only 18 months ago, according to Italian media reports.

The 33-year-old previously suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament in his right knee a year and a half ago but following training on Monday he went to see the club doctor when it was decided that he would need surgery.

No details were given about when that would happen nor how long he would be on the sidelines.

Totti has been in good goalscoring form for Roma this season but has been injured for their last two matches, both of which they lost.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: captain Francesco Totti, cruciate, doctor, francesco totti, italian media, Monday, Roma, ROME, ruptured cruciate ligament, sidelines, training

Spalletti calls time on Roma career

September 1, 2009

AS Roma coach Luciano Spalletti has announced his resignation from the Italian Serie A side, the Ansa news agency reported on Tuesday.

“I submitted my resignation and the club accepted it,” said Spalletti after a 30-minute meeting with club president Rosella Sensi.

Roma lost 3-1 at home to likely title contenders Juventus on Sunday to leave them bottom of the Serie A table, having lost their opening game of the season 3-2 at Genoa.

Spalletti, 50, joined the ‘Giallorossi’ in 2005 from Udinese. His contract was due to expire in 2011.

He initially enjoyed success at the Stadio Olimpico, taking the side to second-placed league finishes in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and back-to-back triumphs in the Italian Cup in 2007 and 2008.

Roma also made it to the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2007 and 2008, but they never recovered from a terrible start to last season and finished the campaign in a disappointing sixth place.

Spalletti had previously expressed his frustration at Roma’s lack of activity during the summer transfer window.

Young striker Fabio Zamblera, veteran Romanian goalkeeper Bogdan Lobont and Argentine defender Nicolas Burdisso, a loan signing from Inter Milan, were the only arrivals, while home-grown midfielder Alberto Aquilani was allowed to join Liverpool.

Spalletti was also rumoured to have fallen out with Roma’s iconic captain Francesco Totti, who has been at the club since 1989.

Spalletti is the first coach or manager to quit or be sacked from Italy’s top flight this season.

The Italian media have identified Claudio Ranieri as Spalletti’s potential successor. The 57-year-old was sacked as coach of Juventus prior to the end of last season.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: alberto aquilani, ansa news agency, Argentine, bogdan lobont, captain Francesco Totti, Claudio Ranieri, club president, Fabio Zamblera, francesco totti, genoa, giallorossi, Goalkeeper, italian cup, italian serie, juventus, luciano spalletti, Milan, nicolas burdisso, quarter finals, Roma, ROME, rosella sensi, serie a table, stadio olimpico, terrible start, title contenders

Spalletti bouyant ahead of Sampdoria clash

January 14, 2009

ROME (AFP) – AS Roma coach Luciano Spalletti is feeling positive ahead of his team’s clash at home to Sampdoria on Wednesday.

Roma will move up to eighth in the Serie A table if they win this match at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, which was postponed back in October due to a waterlogged pitch.

The capital based team have finished second in each of the last three seasons but their title aspirations were over just 10 matches into this campaign after they won just two of those, losing six including their first five away games.

That left them hovering just above the relegation zone but they then embarked on a five-match winning run that propelled them back into Champions League contention.

Three points against their Genovese visitors will leave them just six points off fourth-placed Napoli in the final Champions League qualifying position.

And following their pulsating 2-2 draw at home to AC Milan on Sunday night, Spalletti believes his team have left their early season troubles firmly behind them.

"That was a great match and we did what we needed to do. We could have won at the end, as could have Milan," he said.

"I think the supporters appreciated the attitude of our players. We did take some risks and left too many spaces at the back.

"But after a difficult period the team has proved they know how to play football while we’ve got some important players back from injury too."

Club captain Francesco Totti is not yet among those although he did start running again on Monday following a muscular problem picked up against Catania on December 21, the last league match before the three-week winter break in Italy.

But in Totti’s place Montenegro forward Mirko Vucinic has been intermittently brilliant and scored twice in the Milan game.

"Vucinic can play on his own up front but also just behind the striker," said Spalletti. "He’s a player I like very much.

"He did very well for his second goal (against Milan), pulling away to the left and finding the right position."

Sampdoria, led by former Roma forward Antonio Cassano, have likewise had a difficult beginning to their campaign despite qualifying for the UEFA Cup last season.

However, victory would put them back in European contention as it would move them to just one point behind Roma and pull them away from the bottom three.

They currently sit in 14th position, five points above the drop zone and 12 points off the European qualification places.

Written by: AFP