GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
Roma will be looking for redemption when they take on fierce rivals Lazio in the first Derby Della Capitale of the season on Sunday.
It's a game that gives Roma the chance to right two wrongs - that of being beaten 3-0 the last time the two sides met, which proved to be Eusebio Di Francesco's last Serie A game in charge, and not being able to beat Genoa on the opening day of the season. Both rivals have made some interesting changes over the summer, with the red side of the city bringing in new coach Paulo Fonseca and sporting director Gianluca Petrachi, not to mention a whole host of new players, while the blue side have brought in the likes of Manuel Lazzari and Denis Vavro. Simone Inzaghi's side won their first game of the season, against Di Francesco's Sampdoria, whereas Roma have a point to prove in what is technically their first away game of the season, despite it being played at Stadio Olimpico. Roma's opening game saw them pegged back three times by Genoa, despite some promising performances from the likes of Bryan Cristante, Lorenzo Pellegrini. However, no places are guaranteed, with Fonseca confirming at his press conference that Jordan Veretout and Amadou Diawara are ready to compete for the starting berths in midfield. It could be a baptism of fire for any of the new additions, ready to be thrown into the cauldron of one of the most competitive and passionate rivalries in world football. Davide Zappacosta could make his first start for the club after coming on as a substitute against Genoa, with Alessandro Florenzi pushing to the left wing, while new signing Chris Smalling will be involved in the squad - although the Englishman may not start. The game kicks off at 5pm UK time and will be shown live on Premier Sports 1. Expected lineup: Lopez; Zappacosta, Fazio, Mancini, Kolarov; Pellegrini, Cristante; Under, Zaniolo, Florenzi; Dzeko
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In one of the more surprising moves of the transfer window, Roma have agreed to sign English defender Chris Smalling from Manchester United on a season-long loan.
It is becoming increasingly common to see English footballers move abroad - with Jadon Sancho earning a career breakthrough at Borussia Dortmund and Kieran Trippier reclaiming his place in the national squad after joining Atletico Madrid - but traditionally, the move from England to Rome has not been one made regularly. In joining Roma, Smalling has become just the second English player to play for Roma's men's team - following in the footsteps of fellow defender Ashley Cole. For left-back Cole, his time at Roma represented the lowest ebb in his career. Widely viewed as one of England's best full-backs of all-time, he came to Italy with a glistening record, having won the Premier League twice with Arsenal and once with Chelsea, lifting the FA Cup on multiple occasions with both and getting his hands on the Champions League and Europa League trophies with the latter. However, at Roma, it just did not work out. Cole joined as a 33-year-old free agent, who had played in less than half of Chelsea's league games in his final season there. It was hoped that his experience could help Roma, as he essentially replaced Dodo, more than 10 years his junior. But Cole quickly found himself behind Jose Holebas in the pecking order, and even after the Greek left for Watford at the end of the campaign, the ex-England international was not even assigned a squad number for his second term - and his spell with Roma was cut prematurely short in January 2016, half a year before it had been due to expire.
Before Cole, a few more players with British origins had donned the Giallorossi colours. Simone Perrotta, who was born in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, was the most successful. The midfielder spent the last nine years of his career with Roma, having spent all his time as a professional in Italy, the country of his parents' birth. It was with Italy that Perrotta became a champion of the world, as one of three Roma players involved in the Azzurri’s successful 2006 World Cup squad - along with Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi. Like Perrotta, another player to have been born in England but identified as Italian was Mark Tullio Strukelj, hardly the most memorable name in club history. The Surrey-born midfielder, who had an English mother and Italian father, spent just one season with the club, making 11 appearances and scoring once. But although that spell was short-lived, he did get to play in the finals of the Coppa Italia and European Cup; Roma won the former, but lost the latter to the team Strukelj supported as a boy, Liverpool. Rewinding the clock even further, Welshman John Charles, a Leeds United legend famous for a trophy-laden five-season spell with Juventus, spent one lesser known year at Roma in 1962-63. 'Il Gigante Buono' scored five goals in the 12 games he played for the Giallorossi, a season in which they reached the semi-finals of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and came fifth in Serie A. Hence, Chris Smalling is joining a small group of players as he becomes the next Brit to play for Roma. Born in Greenwich, Greater London, the defender has worked his way up through the ranks. After being released by Millwall as a youngster, Smalling made his breakthrough at non-league club Maidstone United, earning a move to then-Premier League side Fulham in 2008. Just 19 years old when he joined, Smalling made an impression in the comparatively small number of games he played, and within two years, he had earned a move to Manchester United.
It was a dream move for a 21-year-old, with Smalling getting the chance to play under the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson. His time with United could not have got off to a better start, as he came on as a substitute to help his new side beat Chelsea in the Community Shield on his debut. One game, one trophy. By the end of his debut year, that honours list had already doubled in length, as United regained the Premier League crown, becoming the club to have won the most league titles in English history. During the campaign, Smalling was also able to make his Champions League debut. In September of the following season, Fabio Capello, manager last time Roma won Serie A, gave him his first senior England cap in a Euro 2012 qualifier against Bulgaria. It was the first of 31 caps Smalling has accumulated for his country, with the centre-back being chosen in the Three Lions' squads for the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2016. It wasn't long before Smalling was adding to his reputation with more trophies. In 2012-13, Ferguson guided United to their most recent league title in his final season in charge, with Smalling making 15 league appearances. Ferguson's replacement, David Moyes, gave Smalling more responsibility than he had ever had before, handing him 38 appearances in all competitions. It was not a successful year for the club, though, and Moyes lost his job before the end of the campaign. For the new season, in came Louis Van Gaal - under whom Smalling enjoyed the best period of his career. With veteran centre-backs Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic also leaving that summer, and with Van Gaal initially planning to use a back three, it gave Smalling the chance to step up and become a regular. He made 29 appearances in all competitions, a decrease on the previous year due to United not being involved in Europe, and scored four goals - which remains to this day his joint-best goalscoring output, having matched the tally in 2017-18.
It was in Van Gaal's second and final year that Smalling really nailed down his place. For the only time in his career, he made more than 50 appearances across the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League and Europa League. Entering his prime at the age of 26, Smalling thrived on the extra responsibility, and by the end of the season, he had worn the captain's armband for the first time. It was a bittersweet end to the season though, as United won the FA Cup final - but only after Smalling had been sent off. Nonetheless, Smalling was named by his teammates as United's player of the year. Positivity remained the outlook, and just two weeks later, he scored his first international goal for England, in a pre-Euro 2016 friendly. Smalling was named in the final squad for the tournament, but it proved to be one of the lowest points in English footballing history, as they were eliminated by Iceland in the Round of 16. That summer, Smalling had a new manager for both club and country, with Jose Mourinho taking the Old Trafford hotseat and Gareth Southgate taking charge of England. Neither move really benefitted Smalling, with the defender falling out of international contention by November 2017, yet to be called up again, due to Southgate believing he wasn't suited to his playing out from the back philosophy - perhaps the biggest concern Roma fans may have about him, given Paulo Fonseca's preference for a similar style. At United, Mourinho brought in Eric Bailly, adding competition for Smalling's place at centre-back - although the Englishman still managed 82 appearances overall across the next two years, and also played all 90 minutes in the final as United won the 2017 Europa League. Last season, his last before coming to Roma, saw Smalling play a further 34 times for United, meaning he passed the 300 appearance mark for the club - becoming the first centre-back to do so since former teammate Vidic, whose appearance tally he ultimately surpassed. When the time came for him to leave the club, following the signing of Harry Maguire this summer, Smalling had amassed 323 appearances for the Red Devils, with 18 goals and eight trophies. Expectations upon Smalling at Roma are somewhat mixed, but as long as he can settle down quickly and adapt to the tactical nature of the league, his experience and physicality can benefit Roma. It may not have worked so well for players like Cole in Rome, but Smalling, likely to be a starter, will be hoping to make a positive impression for his new club - where he can become a flag-bearer for fans back home in England. Roma have just one week left to make any final alterations to their squad before the transfer window closes on 2nd September.
The season has started with a frustrating 3-3 draw with Genoa, which has raised several questions about the squad despite some promising moments. There are just seven days left to rectify any issues by bringing in new faces, so here are five questions Roma and Gianluca Petrachi must ask before the deadline passes. Will Fonseca get his centre-back? Roma's need for a new central defender has been a long-running narrative all summer, even before the departure of Kostas Manolas to Napoli. Paulo Fonseca has repeated that he wants to see his backline reinforced further, despite the signings of Gianluca Mancini and full-backs Leonardo Spinazzola and Davide Zappacosta. However, the coach has admitted that he won't ask Petrachi to sign any defender for the sake of it, but it has to be someone who fits the right profile - experienced and comfortable playing in his high line. The options are not plentiful, with a club statement confirming that Roma will not be targeting any Torino players in the wake of comments from their president Urbano Cairo, which rules out a move for Nicolas Nkoulou. Can Roma find the defender they so desperately need? Can Roma get rid of the deadweight? As the market approaches its conclusion, the likes of Robin Olsen, Maxime Gonalons and Gregoire Defrel are still under contract. These players have shown that they are not good enough for Roma, so it would have been expected that solutions would have been found by now. Olsen's proposed move to Montpellier controversially fell through, while Sampdoria are pushing for a reunion with Defrel, who spent the last season on loan there. As for Gonalons, reported interest from England failed to materialise into a bid. Will Roma get rid of these players in time? What will happen with Schick? Another player who has not reached the required standards, but whom some still feel deserves another chance, is Patrik Schick. However, the Czech striker was an unused substitute against Genoa, and did not have the best pre-season despite scoring some decent goals. Roma need to decide quickly if he is up to the task of being Dzeko's deputy, or a more reliable alternative is needed. If they do sell him before 1st February, then former club Sampdoria will be entitled to either €20m or 50% of the sell-on fee - whichever is greater. It's quite clear that Roma will have to pay the €20m, then, but what is the best solution for the player? Does he move out on loan, with many Bundesliga clubs interested, or does he stay for one final crack at delivering on his expectations? Are more options out wide needed? Roma lost Stephan El Shaarawy to Shanghai Shenhua near the start of the transfer window, and are yet to replace him. Diego Perotti missed the Genoa match through injury, with tests confirming he could be out for two months. That may provide youngster Mirko Antonucci an opportunity, but is he really ready yet? The way Roma had to chase the winner against Genoa, without success, perhaps suggests a Plan B is needed. But is there enough time to get someone over the line? Will Roma make a positive or negative net spend? After spending big on the likes of Leonardo Spinazzola and Pau Lopez, it appears there are limited funds left for this summer. Around €80m has been spent on incoming transfers, while player sales have brought in about €90m. Of course, some of those deals took place in the previous financial year, before 1st July, so Roma may not have much to spend if they want to keep the books balanced for this period. Loan signings look the most likely scenario, but is there enough loose change to target one more permanent transfer and stay in the black? All in all, it could be an eventful seven days as Roma make the final tweaks to their squad.
The Paulo Fonseca era began with a 3-3 draw for Roma at home to Genoa in their first game of the new Serie A season.
Roma led three times, with Cengiz Under scoring a wonderful solo strike, Edin Dzeko making it 2-1 with virtually a mirror image of the opener, and Aleksandar Kolarov hitting a free kick that crossed the line by the barest of margins. However, after each goal, Roma were pegged back, with Andrea Pinamonti smashing home, Juan Jesus giving away a needless penalty, which was converted by Domenico Criscito, and Christian Kouame getting in between the defenders to head home the final equaliser. It's the first time Roma have not won their opening league game since 2015, when Alessandro Florenzi levelled things up against Hellas Verona for Rudi Garcia's side. As for current coach Fonseca, it's the first time he hasn't been victorious on matchday one since his Pacos de Ferreira side were beaten by Benfica in 2014. The game still felt like an extension of pre-season, and in reality, raised more questions than it answered. Here are the biggest talking points. Contrast between attack and defence In the first half in particular, Roma were linking up in attack with more fluidity than they have managed in years. Edin Dzeko was key to the process, as the striker acted not only as a focal point, but dropped deep to glue together the play. His goal was well deserved, and an important statement after the faith the club put in him by offering him a long-term contract. Likewise, Cengiz Under - another player to renew recently - featured in several neat combinations with his teammates, while Lorenzo Pellegrini picked out some Totti-esque passes, including one that nearly set up Under for a second goal. However, the mistakes made at the back cannot be ignored. Pinamonti was given far too much space for Genoa's first goal, with the gap between Federico Fazio and Jesus unacceptable. In front of them, Bryan Cristante watched on while marking a midfielder, whereas he could have prioritised the danger and put pressure on the on-loan Inter striker. The second goal, as mentioned above, came from Jesus' poorly judged foul in the box, while the third goal again showed a lack of co-ordination at the back. Fazio and substitute Gianluca Mancini were too preoccupied with Pinamonti at the near post, while Florenzi was stretched too wide at the backpost. As a result, when Paolo Ghiglione played a perfect cross, Kouame was free to head home with ease. Mancini's positioning was particularly bad, as he had no need to push towards where Fazio was. Instead, the summer signing was caught ball-watching, perhaps showing why Fonseca had been reluctant to start him. Movement fades in second half The energy Roma displayed in the opening 45 minutes took the game to their opponents, causing them problems by setting a fast tempo with smart link-up play. After the break, that intensity dropped off somewhat, and even when fresh faces were brought in to change the dynamics of the attack, with Javier Pastore taking the trequartista role, the sparks had gone. The movement from the front four had all but disappeared, with limited numbers pushing to get in the box. That may be a sign that Roma's fitness still needs to improve, having only just finished their pre-season workouts. It may also be a suggestion that more depth is needed in attack. Midfield headache for Fonseca Roma have worked on changing the complexion of their midfield this summer, with Steven Nzonzi and club legend Daniele De Rossi making way for Amadou Diawara and Jordan Veretout. But it was two of the retained faces who started in Fonseca's 4-2-3-1, with Lorenzo Pellegrini partnered by compatriot Bryan Cristante. Fonseca will surely have liked what he saw. Cristante's passing was much improved on its usual standards, while he also displayed positive energy. Pellegrini was largely the same, threading through balls and creating chances, while also being tenacious in the defensive phase. They have made it hard for Fonseca to drop them now. Diawara and Veretout will undoubtedly be pushing to be involved in future games, but the Italians have made their mark on the midfield. Cengiz Under the microscope One of Pellegrini's best moments was the aerial through ball he picked out Under with shortly after the Turk's opening goal. To give Roma the lead, Under had skipped past Criscito and Cristian Zapata, before executing a powerful finish to Ionut Radu's near post. It was a positive sign, continuing from pre-season, that Under can thrive in this system as a regular goalscorer.
When he received the pass from Pellegrini moments later, he found himself through on goal with only Radu to beat. Unfortunately, he pulled his shot agonisingly wide of the far post. It was a game-changing moment. Had that gone in, Roma would have been 2-0 up with barely 10 minutes played, and could have gone on to dominate the match. It was a fine margin that helped decide the result, and something he will need to improve if he is to manage somewhere in the region of 20 goals this season. It's a tally he can be capable of, but he needs to put away chances like that if he is to do so. Some players thrive off instinct, scoring from opportunities like that where they haven't had to think much. Cengiz is not quite that player yet - as shown by the goal he did score, he works best when he has time with the ball at his feet, and decisions to make. If he can become a more natural, instinctive scorer, though, Roma will win games like this, and he will reach double figures before the spring with ease. Zappacosta's late impact The last change Fonseca made was to replace captain Florenzi with summer signing Davide Zappacosta. Florenzi had done OK, but no better, nearly catching out Radu with a sensational acrobatic volley from outside the box after Kolarov had perfectly set him up from a corner. Obviously, the defensive side of Florenzi's game showed its usual frailties, while his crossing continued to flatter to deceive. When Zappacosta came on for his late cameo, he put in a couple of deliveries that were well-judged. He showed he could clip in an aerial cross, or whip a ball low and hard into a dangerous area. While he wasn't really tested in defence, if he can replicate that kind of impact - minus his air shot when the ball fell awkwardly to him on his weaker side in a golden chance for a winner - over a full 90 minutes when back up to full fitness, then he will be the starting right-back in no time. Player Ratings: Lopez 6; Florenzi 6; Fazio 5; Jesus 4; Kolarov 7; Cristante 7; Pellegrini 8; Under 8; Zaniolo 6; Kluivert 6; Dzeko 7 Subs: Mancini 4; Pastore 3; Zappacosta 6 Coach: Fonseca 6 Man of the Match: Pellegrini Paulo Fonseca takes charge of his first Serie A match as Roma coach on Sunday, as the new season gets underway with a home match against Genoa.
Pre-season has been mainly positive for Roma, who have not tasted defeat despite some tough clashes against the likes of Lille, Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid - against whom a penalty shootout victory earned them the Mabel Green Cup. Fonseca will now be hoping his side can translate that form into the season, starting with his first competitive match at Stadio Olimpico. It has been a summer of change, including the appointment of the new coach, but few of the new signings will be on show on Sunday. Pau Lopez will take his place in goal, but Leonardo Spinazzola is ruled out with injury, while Jordan Veretout did not feature at all in pre-season and only has a space on the bench. Centre-back Gianluca Mancini suffered a couple of knocks in recent friendlies, with Fonseca confirming at his press conference that Federico Fazio and Juan Jesus would be the starting duo in the position. In terms of the other new arrivals, that leaves Amadou Diawara, who is not likely to be picked ahead of Bryan Cristante - who Fonseca has been impressed with so far - or Lorenzo Pellegrini at this stage, and Mert Cetin and Davide Zappacosta have likely arrived too late to be involved. Hence, there will be a strong element of familiarity to the Roma side that take to the pitch tomorrow, but even though the group of players did not achieve much last season, Fonseca will be hoping to inspire a new dawn. The hunger is there. It's time for the wolf to join the chasing pack. Expected lineup: Lopez; Florenzi, Fazio, Jesus, Kolarov; Cristante, Pellegrini; Under, Zaniolo, Kluivert; Dzeko
A clearer message could not have been sent. All the rumours and speculation, months of claims he would be leaving, ready to quit - all of that can be cast aside. Edin Dzeko is a part of Roma.
There had been growing optimism that the striker would be staying with Roma this season, despite intense interest from Inter Milan, but the manner in which his stay has been announced was eye-catching to say the least. The thought had been that Dzeko would see out his final year of his contract, or sign a single-year extension, ready to leave next summer. Instead, Roma have made an emphatic move. Granted, some eyebrows may be raised over the length of the deal, with Dzeko now on contract until he will be 36. But in doing so, Roma have shown a justified faith in their Bosnian hero. This is the boldest move that Gianluca Petrachi has made yet in his short time as sporting director, and will be one that could make or break the early judgement of him. But whether you agree with the length of the agreement or not, the 50-year-old has to be praised for the strength he has shown to complete this negotiation. Previous directors at Roma have buckled under the pressure to sell, leading to the likes of Mohamed Salah being sold for far less than their realistic value. In the case of Dzeko, though, Petrachi set his stall out early on, demanding not a cent less than the €20m he deemed Dzeko to be worth. And by extending his contract until 2022, Petrachi has sent a further strong message about the Bosnian’s future. Those rumours will not be allowed to persist.
Dzeko’s quality has been given the appreciation it deserves here. At times last season, he was made a scapegoat, as an experienced player performing far below his normal level. But Roma know him well enough to understand that last year was not a true reflection of his quality. Again, in the past the club have been somewhat short-sighted by moving on players at the first sign of decline. Now, they have gained a better appreciation of the value of leaders like Dzeko, recognising the quality is still there, waiting to be unleashed. And unleashed, it should be. Dzeko is made for Paulo Fonseca’s system, and was a class above the rest in the pre-season outing against Real Madrid recently. The 33-year-old’s best years with Roma came when he was the focal point of Luciano Spalletti’s 4-2-3-1 system, helping him to break club records that had stood for nearly a century. Under Fonseca, he will be able to occupy a similar position, thriving on what he does best: getting involved with the build-up play before arriving in the right positions to create danger in attacking zones. His leadership will also come to the fore, with his level of commitment shown through this renewal being an indication of the passion he feels for the club. Sometimes his body language on the pitch may not have suggested that last season, but whose did? Dzeko has been re-inspired, and will be using his vast experience to help guide the younger players. He is a silent leader, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Dzeko leads by example rather than voice; a contrast to the way Daniele De Rossi captained Roma, but a valuable aspect of a winning team nonetheless. Francesco Totti, for example, was never a fist-pumping, shouting, motivational leader. But he wore the armband with fierce pride for the best part of two decades. Dzeko will never reach the levels of admiration that his former teammate did, but he will be a similar vital focal point for a team undergoing a period of transition.
Yes, his signing means Roma can all-but end their dreams of signing Mauro Icardi, but that was always an unrealistic ambition. Dzeko has shown that he can be just as effective, and maintaining him provides Roma with the stability they need. While Icardi is the more highly-rated striker, keeping Dzeko can be just as beneficial for Roma as if they had landed the former Inter captain. Some big leaders have left Trigoria this summer, so keeping the experienced Dzeko can help ease the transition as the new faces settle in. He already knows the surroundings and will be able to kick on straight away - whereas any new addition would have required time to settle, just like he did when he first arrived. Four years on, though, Roma is Dzeko’s home. He has already written his name in the history books thanks to his record-breaking 2016-17 and the role he played in Roma’s quest to the Champions League semi-finals the year after. Having outscored the likes of Marco Delvecchio, Rudi Voller and Giuseppe Giannini, he is now breathing down the necks of Roma’s 100 club. Dzeko has every chance of passing that landmark this season, needing just 13 more goals to bring up his century for the club. It’s a tally he should reach with ease, given that Roma are competing in the Europa League group stages. The last time he played in the competition for Roma, he finished as the tournament’s joint-top scorer, despite Spalletti’s side being eliminated with three rounds remaining. With the Giallorossi likely to get a favourable draw this time around, it would be foolish to bet against Dzeko thriving on the biggest stages for Roma once again. It's time for Dzeko to truly become a legend.
Arms held aloft, a little smile breaks out as his teammates surround him. It's a somewhat muted celebration compared to how Daniele De Rossi reacted whenever he scored for Roma, but it's a sign that there is life in the veteran yet.
It may have been for a new club, but it clearly still meant something to Roma's former captain, as he headed in a debut goal for Boca Juniors on Tuesday night. It will be impossible for him to replicate the passion he had for Roma in his new surroundings, but he could not have given a clearer sign: he has gone to Boca to win.
Many Roma fans are still taking time to adjust to the sight of De Rossi wearing another club's jersey. But throughout history, very few players have retired as a one-club man for the Giallorossi. Whether by their own choice or not, many of the club's biggest legends have curtailed their time at Roma to close out their careers elsewhere. Here are five of their stories. Agostino Di Bartolomei If given a choice, De Rossi would have stayed at Roma without hesitation. His decision to leave was made for him, though - a similar scenario to how Scudetto-winning captain Agostino Di Bartolomei was forced out of the club. Di Bartolomei had just led Roma to the European Cup final in their first ever appearance in the competition, but times were changing at the club. Legendary coach Nils Liedholm was on his way out, to be replaced by fellow Swede, Sven-Goran Eriksson. The new tactician favoured a faster-paced game, to which it was deemed that Di Bartolomei was not suited. Against his will, the 29-year-old was moved on to Milan, following Liedholm. The early 1980s had been the most difficult period in the Rossoneri's history, with two relegations to Serie B, and so Liedholm was entrusted with the task of getting things back on track. As fate would have it, Di Bartolomei came up against his beloved Roma as early as the fifth match of the new season. Naturally, the Italian midfielder scored the opening goal against the side for whom he had given so much in the previous decade. The game ended 2-1 to Milan, and Roma's decision to move on without their coach and captain started to look like a bad one. By the end of the season, thanks to that result, Roma finished below Milan due to their head-t0-head record, out of the European places altogether. Giuseppe Giannini One of the players who followed in Di Bartolomei's footsteps by coming out of the Roma academy and going on to make more than 300 appearances for the club, Giannini was idolised by fans - but his loyalty sadly never flourished with a key role in a league title win. His love affair with Roma began to take a sour turn in 1994, when, after returning from injury, he stepped up to take a crucial penalty in the Derby against Lazio - a spot kick won by his heir, Francesco Totti. Giannini's effort from 12 yards was saved by Luca Marchegiani, costing Roma the chance to equalise. After the game, club president Franco Sensi hit out at his captain, declaring: "Whoever misses a penalty so important doesn't seem worthy of belonging to the Roma of the future." The relations weren't cut as quickly as may have been expected, with Giannini lasting another two seasons with his hometown club. But the seeds were already sown for a farewell, and Il Principe moved to Austrian side Sturm Graz in 1996. Giannini's time in Austria was short-lived, and due to homesickness, he made a controversial return to Italy to play for Roma's great rivals, Napoli. He made just five appearances for the Partenopei, before seeing out his career with one-and-a-half seasons with Lecce. Roberto Pruzzo Star striker Pruzzo left Roma in 1988 as their leading goalscorer of all-time, with fans unveiling a banner at his final game in giallorosso reading "106 times thank you", in a nod to the number of goals he scored for the club in Serie A. His final game for Roma was against Verona, who had been the side he had made his club debut (and scored his first goal) against 10 years earlier. The Italian striker spent the final season of his career at Fiorentina, who became involved in a tight battle for the UEFA Cup places with, of all teams, Roma. Pruzzo did not score all season, but his new side managed to finish level on points with Roma, meaning a play-off was needed to determine who would qualify for Europe. In his last game as a professional footballer, as he lined up against his former teammates, Pruzzo finally scored his first goal for La Viola. Like Di Bartolomei for Milan a few years prior, there was an ironic element of fate about it, as someone who had contributed so much to Roma's history came back to haunt them. Pruzzo's goal was the only one of the game, meaning the Giallorossi went without European football the next season. He may have spoiled the party that day, but it did not take away from the mutual affection between Pruzzo and the Roma faithful. Amedeo Amadei Around half a century before Pruzzo, Roma's goal-getter in chief was Amedeo Amadei - who to this day remains the youngest player to have ever represented the club, having debuted at the age of 15. Amadei scored precisely 100 league goals for Roma, although this figure would likely have been more had the league championships not been interrupted by the Second World War. Whereas Roma were growing towards the start of the global conflict, culminating in their first Scudetto in 1942, the years after hit them hard, with severe financial problems forcing them to sell Amadei to Inter in 1948. Still only 27 years old at the time, he undoubtedly could have contributed so much more for Roma had fate allowed, but even after his departure, his love for the club remained. Legend has it that Amadei asked his new club not to play him against Roma if ever his former side were struggling. He did end up playing against the Giallorossi in his first season away from the capital, but contributed little to the game. By his own admission, he felt unable. The season after, though, he netted against Roma in a 3-1 win for Inter. By the time the Lupi had returned from their sole season in Serie B, Amadei had transferred to Napoli, for whom he lined up against his first ever club on a few occasions. Again, though, his contributions against Roma were limited. Of the 47 league goals he scored for Napoli before he retired, only one came against his former employers. Fulvio Bernardini One of the more senior players on the pitch when Amadei made his Roma debut all those years ago was Fulvio Bernardini, the second captain in the club's history. The technically gifted midfielder joined Roma one year after their amalgamation and immediately elevated their potential. Despite starting his career with Lazio (albeit before Roma were formed), Bernardini wrote his name in club folklore thanks to his incredible commitment over 11 seasons. When the time came to leave Roma, Bernardini was ready to go into coaching -a decision De Rossi is tipped to make when he hangs up his boots - but it wasn't time for him to give up playing just yet. He dropped down to the Italian third tier to become player-manager of local side MATER. Just like he had done at Roma, Bernardini inspired his new club to greater heights. After three seasons, he led MATER to promotion to Serie B, in which he played for them for one season before the division was temporarily halted for the Roman War Championship. Bernardini stayed in his role for two further years before retiring at the age of 39 upon the dissolution of the club. Four years after, he was back at Roma as manager - a fate that many fans would love to see for De Rossi as well one day. The former number 16 would hope to have a better fate than Bernardini, who lasted less than a full season in the dugout in what was, as mentioned above, a difficult time for the club. Nonetheless, he went on to have a distinguished coaching career thereafter, winning Serie A with both Fiorentina and Bologna, and has long since taken his place alongside De Rossi in the history of the club.
Paulo Fonseca's first game in charge of Roma at Stadio Olimpico ended with an unusual trophy on Sunday night, as a penalty shootout win over Real Madrid earned them the Mabel Green Cup.
Roma had to come from behind twice (although Madrid's second goal should not have stood, due to an offside), but were actually on top for large portions of the game. Diego Perotti and Edin Dzeko got the goals in normal time, but both had been brought off by the time the penalties came around. Nonetheless, Roma scored all their spot kicks, with Marcelo's miss meaning it was victory for Fonseca's side - who got their hands on a lovely tree as a prize.
This was the penultimate friendly before Serie A kicks off in a fortnight's time - with a match against Arezzo just being announced - so here's what Roma can take into the new season from it. Much more fluid in possession In the last friendly, against Athletic Bilbao, Roma's insistence on playing out from the back was at times problematic and dangerous. Against Madrid, though, they got it spot on. Starting from Pau Lopez, Roma were extremely efficient at keeping possession of the ball, both in their own half and in attacking areas. The players linked up very well, keeping the ball moving at all times. Edin Dzeko was vital to the process. Perhaps the better playing surface helped them, but all in all, there were positive signs that Roma are starting to play the way Fonseca wants them to. The return of Zaniolo He's been inconsistent for the last six months, but Nicolo Zaniolo was back to his best against Real. In some ways, it was back to where it all started for the 20-year-old, who made his Roma debut against the same opponents in last season's Champions League. He impressed even more than he did on that occasion, catching the eye with his assist for Perotti. Zaniolo determinedly powered down the right wing before expertly placing his through ball in between Raphael Varane and Eder Militao, and into Perotti's path. It was eye-of-the-needle stuff. Marking in the midfield If there was one criticism of the display, it would be that the marking in the midfield wasn't tight enough. Real's first goal came from a splendid turn and pass from Luka Modric, before Marcelo beat Alessandro Florenzi and curled the ball past Lopez. Modric's quality was no hidden secret - he's the reigning world player of the year. It's important for Roma to ensure they don't give players of that level the time and space to create danger so easily. Fazio in the final phase Say what you like about his lack of pace, but when Federico Fazio recovers the ground, there are few better players in world football at last-ditch defending. The Argentine was a man of the match candidate thanks to his impressive blocks and interceptions, once again showing how well he reads the game. Roma are still looking to bring in a new centre-back, but Fazio will remain a good option in games where his teammates' backs will be against the wall. Options from the spot Roma's regular penalty takers, Perotti and Lorenzo Pellegrini, had been taken off before the shootout came around. It gave Fonseca a chance to analyse his other options from 12 yards out, and all five takers impressed. Aleksandar Kolarov and Leonardo Spinazzola's penalties were both perfectly placed in opposite corners - the former's being slightly more convincing than the latter's - and Bryan Cristante, Cengiz Under and Mirko Antonucci's efforts were equally impressive. Roma may find themselves in need of a hero from the spot in any of the three competitions they will be involved in this season, so it's reassuring to know that those options run deep. Player Ratings: Lopez 8; Florenzi 6; Fazio 8; Jesus 6; Kolarov 7; Cristante 7; Pellegrini 7; Under 8; Zaniolo 7; Perotti 6; Dzeko 8 Subs: Spinazzola 6; Diawara 6; Antonucci 5; Schick 5; Kluivert 6 Man of the Match: Dzeko
Roma came from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday night, in what was probably their toughest test of pre-season so far.
After Iker Muniain had put the Basque club ahead with a poacher's finish, Aleksandar Kolarov pulled things level in the second half with an extraordinary free kick from 30 yards out. Late on, each side converted a penalty, with Raul Garcia scoring for the visitors and Lorenzo Pellegrini coolly dispatching a spot kick which had been incorrectly awarded to Roma, after the ball had actually come into contact with Nicolo Zaniolo's hand, rather than an opponent's.
Although still just a friendly, there were some warning signs for Paulo Fonseca to pick up on before the Serie A campaign kicks off. Over-commitment to playing out from the back Fonseca's philosophy is starting to become more and more apparent, with the coach clearly favouring an approach which sees his side play out from the back. However, there needs to be some flexibility. Often, Roma put themselves under pressure by starting too deep, with Athletic ready to pounce by deploying several players in the Giallorossi half. The new rule which states that the ball does not have to go out of the box from a goal kick worked against Roma in some regards, as it invited the La Liga side to press them higher up the pitch. Fonseca wants to see Roma play a courageous game, and that's a good thing, but the players need to fine-tune things a little more if his style is to be successful. Roma slow to spot the switch When Roma got in more advanced positions, the possession-based game still lacked the appropriate dynamism. Often a full-back or winger would be open on the opposite side of the pitch, but the ball rarely travelled straight to them. Instead, Roma got the ball out wide via another player in between, which slowed down the pace - and thus reduced the danger - of the attack, by allowing Athletic to get across into the correct defensive positions more easily. Someone in the midfield needs to be brave enough to pick out the switch, skipping out that extra pass, so that Roma can play on the front foot. No closer to a striker solution If someone had suggested at the start of the summer that Gregoire Defrel would have been starting a pre-season game as Roma's sole centre-forward just over two weeks before the campaign got underway, they would have sounded ridiculous. However, that was the case, and the Frenchman continued to struggle. In fairness, he was committed, but he lacks the clinical edge to be a Roma player. When Edin Dzeko came on in the second half, it was fitting for him to be given a warm reception by his fans, with plenty of cheers and chants in his honour. Who knows if it was Dzeko's last outing for Roma, as a move to Inter gets closer, but the directors really need to consider how they can replace the Bosnian - or if they can at all - if he does depart. Unless Roma can somehow pull off a coup and sign someone of Mauro Icardi's stature, the names that have been linked are unappealing, and sooner or later the club need to think if getting rid of Dzeko would be a wise idea after all. How Fonseca is using Pellegrini After returning late for pre-season due to international duty, Lorenzo Pellegrini finally got his opportunity to play a full 90 minutes, and it was a performance of highs and lows. For the most part, the Roman was successful, playing positive passes and showing high energy. However, there was a 20-minute spell at the end of the first half when he veered away from his usual standards. Later on, he was also to blame for the second goal, as he wasn't strong enough when turning away from his box - leading to him being dispossessed, and Roma consequently giving away a penalty due to Gianluca Mancini's hand-ball. Pellegrini has been utilised as part of the deeper central midfield pairing by Fonseca, where it appears he will continue to play. Some of his better performances last season came as a trequartista, in the number 10 role, but that position already has Zaniolo, Javier Pastore and maybe even Mirko Antonucci competing for it. Pellegrini can adapt well to the deeper role, as it should allow him to get on the ball more and dictate play, but he needs to stay sharp for 90 minutes. The first signs that Roma will miss De Rossi Extending things further, it wasn't just Pellegrini who blew hot and cold in the midfield. Amadou Diawara was sloppier than in previous displays, for example - while Steven Nzonzi didn't travel with the squad. There was no drive in the middle of the park to push Roma on, and this moment was going to come soon enough: It was clear they missed someone like Daniele De Rossi. Of course, they don't make players like De Rossi any more, but how Roma could have done with him against Bilbao. The midfield is such a critical area, which needs someone to hold it together and to drive what happens in front. Bryan Cristante came closest to replicating that on Wednesday, being more confident on the ball, but he has some way to go to reach the levels that De Rossi consistently did for most of his career - even last season. Roma have other priorities, but perhaps a reinforcement is needed for that position too. Now, if only there had been someone fully committed to the club who could have performed that role to a high standard for this team... Player Ratings: Mirante 5; Florenzi 7; Mancini 5; Jesus 7; Spinazzola 6; Diawara 6; Pellegrini 7; Under 6; Antonucci 5; Perotti 5; Defrel 6 Subs: Lopez 6; Santon 6; Fazio 7; Kolarov 7; Cristante 8; Zaniolo 5; Kluivert 6; Dzeko 6 Man of the Match: Cristante The Serie A season is almost upon us, and that means one thing - fantasy football is returning!
A Giallorossi Yorkshire fantasy league has been set up on fantasyseriea.com, which all Roma fans are welcome to join. Head to their website to set up your team, then get in contact with me via Twitter to get the code to join the league. Let the fun and games begin. |
samuel bannister
Founder and editor of Giallorossi Yorkshire, who is also a columnist for Roma's official website about the women's team. Categories
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