GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
11th October marks the 58th anniversary of Roma's triumph in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, which remains to this day their only ever European trophy. After drawing 2-2 with Birmingham City in the first leg, having taken a two-goal lead through a Pedro Manfredini brace, Roma won the return leg 2-0 at Stadio Olimpico to lift the trophy, as an own goal was followed up by Paolo Pestrin's last-minute goal. With Roma having lost in their only ever appearances in both the European Cup final - against Liverpool, 35 years ago - and the UEFA Cup, against Inter over two legs in 1991, the heroes of the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup take up a special place in the club's history. Despite the competition being held in lesser regard than the other two, the squad that achieved it for Roma managed to do something that none of their successors have done yet. Here are the stories of the players who helped Roma reach European glory. Route to the final: The Fairs Cup journey lasted more than a whole year, with the final taking place a couple of months into the new league season. It all began on 4th October 1960, when Roma drew away at Union Saint-Gilloise, a team they dispatched in the second leg with a 4-1 win. A replay was required for Roma to advance from their quarter-final clash with Koln, which ended 2-2 on aggregate. With the Giallorossi having home advantage for the replay, Manfredini's double sent them on their way to another 4-1 victory. Once again, two legs were not enough to separate Roma from their opponents in the semi-finals, where they faced Scottish side Hibernian. Drawing the away leg 2-2 courtesy of a Francisco Lojacono brace, the home leg finished 3-3 - with the away goals rule not in place. Hence, Roma took on Hibs for the third time, and now there was no doubt. Manfredini weighed in with a remarkable four-goal haul as part of a convincing 6-0 thumping in May 1961. Hence, it was onto the next season for Roma to complete their European journey. Visiting Birmingham's St Andrew's stadium for the first leg, Roma took a draw back to the Olimpico. Around 55,000 spectators descended on the venue to see their side claim European glory with a 2-0 win, allowing Giacomo Losi to lift the trophy aloft. First leg only: Luigi Giuliano - The side that won the second leg featured two changes from the first leg, with Pestrin replacing Giuliano. Joining Roma from Torino in 1954 - having luckily only been a youth player there in 1949, thus not travelling on the flight which led to the Superga air disaster - Giuliano spent eight years in the capital. The midfielder made his only appearance for Italy in that time, making more than 140 appearances for Roma, where he ended his career. Dino Da Costa - The other player to be involved in the first leg but not the second was attacker Da Costa, whose place was taken by Lojacono for the Olimpico clash. Returning from a loan at Fiorentina in the summer in between the two seasons over which the tournament took place, the Italian-Brazilian only stayed until November - but it was enough for him to play his small part in the Fairs Cup triumph, to crown his 163 appearances for the club. Second leg lineup: Fabio Cudicini - Father of former Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, Fabio is widely regarded as one of the greatest never-capped Italian goalkeepers of all-time. He spent the bulk of his career at Roma, having signed from Udinese in 1958. Just over a week away from his 26th birthday at the time of the Fairs Cup final, Cudicini was really starting to blossom into a reliable, experienced keeper. Following his departure from Roma in 1966, he spent a season at Brescia and five at Milan - with whom he won three more international trophies. Alfio Fontana - Perhaps an underrated player in Roma history, Fontana brought a wealth of experience with him when he joined aged 28 in 1960. In his previous years at Milan, he had won three Scudetti, but an international honour had eluded him. It took him just a year to achieve that at Roma, for whom he eventually passed a century of appearances. Giulio Corsini - After beginning his career with hometown club Atalanta, Corsini came to Roma in 1957. The defender surpassed the 130 games he had played for the Bergamo side by reaching nearly 150 in giallorosso. His final season with the club saw him add the Coppa Italia to his Fairs Cup medal. Giacomo Losi - Until Francesco Totti, no player had played more games for Roma than Losi. The versatile and loyal player began in the heart of defence for the final, which came after the first of his nine seasons as captain. Hence, he remains the only player in history to have raised a European trophy as Roma captain. Sadly, he could never add a Serie A title to his medal cabinet, but finished his career with the commendable record of having never received a yellow or red card. Paolo Pestrin - Left out of the first leg, Pestrin ensured he wrote his name into Roma folklore by finishing the game off in the return fixture. Another player who featured in more games for Roma than any of his other clubs, the central midfielder - who had initially been a winger in his early career - fell just short of reaching 200 appearances for the club before leaving for Padova, placing him at 42nd on the club's all-time appearances chart (higher than the likes of Cafu, David Pizarro and Paulo Roberto Falcao). Alberto Orlando - An attacking midfielder, Orlando was one of two Rome-born players in the lineup against Birmingham (the other being Giampaolo Menichelli). After graduating the club's academy and earning his stripes on loan at Messina, he was recalled to the first team in 1959. He instantly became a mainstay of the lineup, with his time at Roma culminating in the 1964 Coppa Italia win in his last season. Francisco Lojacono - Deemed the man of the match by most media outlets in Britain and Italy, Lojacono left his mark on a game that was at times played in a rough fashion. Having delayed his report to international duty to play in the match, the Argentine-Italian playmaker was unfazed by the physical nature of the battle, and it was his shot that deflected off Brian Farmer to give Roma the lead. Overall, his time with Roma lasted just three years, but he managed nearly a goal every other game - certainly good going for a midfielder. Pedro Manfredini - Finishing the campaign as the Fairs Cup's top scorer with 12 goals, having scored in every round, Manfredini's place in the lineup for the decisive second leg was in doubt due to an injury concern. He battled back in time to assume his rightful place as the leading striker, having contributed two crucial goals in the first leg. Manfredini was not able to get on the scoresheet in Rome, but that will have mattered little to him when he got his hands on a winner's medal. With 104 goals from 164 games, the Argentine - who sadly died in January - remains the highest-scoring foreigner in the club's history. Antonio Valentin Angelillo - The number 10 of Argentine compatriot Luis Carniglia's side (although he represented Italy internationally), former Inter star Angelillo, like Carpanesi, joined up with the squad in the summer between the knockout rounds and the final. His four seasons with Roma rendered 150 appearances, 41 goals and two trophies, with the 1964 Coppa Italia being added to this European triumph. Giampaolo Menichelli - A winger who went on to win Serie A and the Coppa Italia with Juventus, the only trophy Menichelli gained with Roma before leaving his hometown club was the Fairs Cup. It came after his first full season back at the club following two loan spells that were crucial for his development, at Sambenedettese and Parma. The year after winning the Fairs Cup, Menichelli became an Italy international, scoring his only goal for the Azzurri in 1962 - in the summer before he departed Rome. Coach: Luis Carniglia - With Alfredo Foni having guided Roma to the final, Carniglia took over the reins before the start of the new campaign, in which the showpiece against Birmingham would be contested. Having spent most of his playing career in South America, he closed his days on the pitch in Europe with Nice and Toulon, before being appointed manager of the former. He came to Roma after spells with Real Madrid, Fiorentina and Bari - having won league titles in France and Spain. While he was not able to replicate that at Roma, the at-the-time 41-year-old completed the job that was started by Foni in clinching Fairs Cup honours. Despite coaching for nearly two whole decades after, it was the last trophy he won as a manager.
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As Roma's Europa League campaign gets underway, there is a general sense of optimism that the club will take the competition seriously and be among the contenders for the trophy.
Paulo Fonseca has already confirmed that Roma have "big ambitions" for the competition, with the coach having previously reached the quarter-finals with Braga in 2015-16, before being knocked out by his next club, Shakhtar Donetsk. Over the summer, Roma assembled an experienced squad, with the lineup now featuring several players who have good history in European competition. Here is a brief look at the furthest stage each player has reached in both the Champions League and Europa League. Davide Zappacosta Champions League best: Round of 16 (Chelsea, 2017-18) Europa League best: Winner (Chelsea, 2018-19) The first of five former Europa League winners in Roma's squad, Zappacosta got his hands on the trophy at the first time of asking last season. The previous year, he had seen his new Chelsea side qualify behind Roma in their Champions League group before being eliminate in the Round of 16. Having never competed in Europe before leaving Italy to join Chelsea, he now has the opportunity to make his mark with a club from his homeland.
Bryan Cristante Champions League best: Quarter-final (Milan, 2011-12) Europa League best: Round of 32 (Atalanta, 2017-18) The Champions League gave Cristante his professional debut as a 16-year-old, with the midfielder featuring for Milan in a group match. The Rossoneri reached the quarter-finals that year, but he played no further part. He was more involved when Atalanta reached the Europa League Round of 32 in his final season in Bergamo, scoring three goals as he played in all of their eight games in the competition. Only Josip Ilicic scored more for them in Europe that year. Juan Jesus Champions League best: Semi-final (Roma, 2017-18) Europa League best: Round of 16 (Inter, 2012-13; Roma, 2014-15 and 2016-17) One of several players to follow on this list whose best European run came with Roma, Jesus was a starter in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final loss to Liverpool. It was the Europa League that gave him his first taste of European football, though, when he reached the Round of 16 in his first full season with Inter - a feat he has repeated twice with Roma since. Chris Smalling Champions League best: Runner up (Manchester United, 2010-11) Europa League best: Winner (Manchester United, 2016-17) An unused sub in both games when his Fulham side faced Roma in the 2009-10 group stage on their route to the Europa League final, Smalling went one better by winning the competition with Manchester United in 2017, playing all 90 minutes of the final. At the start of his United career, he had even come close to winning the Champions League, watching from the bench as his side lost to Barcelona at the end of his first season there. He had played nine games on their journey to the final.
Lorenzo Pellegrini Champions League best: Semi-final (Roma, 2017-18) Europa League best: Group stage (Sassuolo, 2016-17) Pellegrini was a member of the squad that got Roma further than ever before in the Champions League era, starting the second leg of the semi-final against Liverpool in which his side came within a whisker of another extraordinary comeback. Preparing him for that adventure, and his time at Roma as a whole, had been a two-year stint at Sassuolo, where he helped Eusebio Di Francesco's side qualify for Europe for the first time, before they were knocked out in the group stage. Diego Perotti Champions League best: Semi-final (Roma, 2017-18) Europa League best: Winner (Sevilla, 2013-14) Brought to Europe by future Roma sporting director Monchi in 2007, Perotti worked his way through the ranks at Sevilla, with his time with the La Liga club culminating in victory in the Europa League in his last year with the club - although at the time, he was out on loan at Boca Juniors. It was the first of three consecutive triumphs in the competition for Sevilla, but Perotti wasn't able to play in Europe again until joining Roma in 2015. He scored in the first leg Champions League semi-final defeat to Liverpool, giving some late hope of a Stadio Olimpico comeback. Edin Dzeko Champions League best: Semi-final (Roma, 2017-18) Europa League best: Quarter-final (Wolfsburg, 2009-10) For someone who spent four-and-a-half years with high-spending Premier League giants Manchester City, it may come as something of a surprise to learn that neither of Dzeko's best runs in each of Europe's two competitions came while at the Etihad Stadium. Instead, it was as part of a successful Wolfsburg side that he reached the Europa League quarter-finals, having dropped down from the Champions League the year after winning the German title. Nearly a decade later, he was the only Roma player to score in both legs of the CL semi-final against Liverpool. Aleksandar Kolarov Champions League best: Semi-final (Manchester City, 2015-16; Roma 2017-18) Europa League best: Round of 16 (Manchester City, 2010-11 and 2011-12) Another part of the unfortunate Roma side to lose in the Champions League semi-finals, Kolarov was the only member of that squad for whom the last four wasn't uncharted territory. Man City were edged out by eventual champions Real Madrid in the semi-final in 2016 - certainly a higher calibre opponent than the ones who had curtailed their furthest Europa League era ventures, with Dynamo Kyiv and Sporting CP being responsible for their Round of 16 exits in Kolarov's first two years at the club. Pau Lopez Champions League best: Group stage (Tottenham Hotspur, 2016-17) Europa League best: Round of 32 (Tottenham Hotspur, 2016-17; Real Betis, 2018-19) Despite being Roma's most expensive goalkeeper signing of all-time, Pau Lopez is yet to fully convince in his short time at the club. Unless Fonseca opts to rotate, the Europa League could be where Lopez comes into his own, but he has limited international pedigree. He never played in his sole season at Tottenham, where their European record was poor, meaning his Europa League debut only came last season, with Real Betis. They conceded six goals over two legs as they lost to Rennes, despite having won their group with just two goals conceded. Mert Cetin Champions League best: N/A Europa League best: N/A Roma's least high-profile summer signing, Cetin has never featured in European competition - and is unlikely to change that this year, having been left out of the squad for the group stages. Cengiz Under Champions League best: Semi-final (Roma, 2017-18) Europa League best: Play-off round (Istanbul Basaksehir, 2016-17) Under has grown into one of Roma's most important players over the last two years, but is yet to feature in the Europa League group stages. His only previous taste of the competition came when Fonseca's Shakhtar beat Istanbul Basaksehir - one of Roma's Group J opponents this season - in the play-off round. He secured his move to Roma the year after, playing his part in the run to the last four of the Champions League in his first taste of the competition. Davide Santon Champions League best: Winner (Inter, 2009-10) Europa League best: Quarter-final (Newcastle United, 2012-13) The only Champions League winner in Roma's squad isn't even a regular starter. Santon made one appearance on Inter's road to the 2010 final, where they beat Bayern Munich 2-0. He returned to Inter in 2015, a couple of years after reaching the Europa League quarter-finals with Newcastle. Nikola Kalinic Champions League best: Round of 16 (Atletico Madrid, 2018-19) Europa League best: Runner up (Dnipro, 2014-15) Roma's new back-up striker won the UEFA Super Cup in 2018 (as an unused sub), but was not part of the Atletico Madrid side that qualified for the event by winning the previous year's Champions League. Instead, his best ever CL run came last season, when Atletico, like Roma, lost in the Last 16 despite winning their first leg match. He has scored in a European final though, giving Dnipro the lead in the 2015 Europa League final, which they weren't able to defend against Sevilla. Federico Fazio Champions League best: Semi-final (Roma, 2017-18) Europa League best: Winner (Sevilla, 2013-14; 2015-16) Kalinic's Dnipro couldn't topple Sevilla in that game, which was sandwiched between the two Europa League titles that Fazio won with the club. In 2014, he played all of the final as Sevilla beat Benfica on penalties in Turin, while having returned to the club on loan from Tottenham for the latter half of the 2015-16 season, he was not used as the Spaniards beat Liverpool - who exacted their revenge on Fazio at Roma two seasons later in the Champions League semis.
Jordan Veretout Champions League best: N/A Europa League best: Round of 32 (Saint-Ettiene, 2016-17) One of the least experienced members of Roma's squad in terms of international activity, midfielder Veretout has only played in the Europa League once before. His Saint-Ettiene side topped their group after navigating the qualifiers in 2016-17, but were the first knockout victims of Smalling's Man Utd, who beat them 4-0 on aggregate in the Last 32. Nicolo Zaniolo Champions League best: Round of 16 (Roma, 2018-19) Europa League best: N/A Zaniolo's Roma debut actually came in the Champions League, before he had even played in Serie A. The midfielder made the most of his opportunities and became the youngest Italian player to score a CL brace in the Round of 16 first leg against Porto. The return leg did not go to plan, however, as Roma crashed out of the competition. Now, he will have his first chance to play in the secondary competition, the Europa League. Gianluca Mancini Champions League best: N/A Europa League best: Round of 32 (Atalanta, 2017-18) Mancini had the chance to be part of Atalanta's first ever Champions League side this season, and thus to make his debut in the competition, but sacrificed it to move to a bigger club in Roma. Another player upon whom expectations will be high despite a lack of European experience, Mancini did not play in any of the games when Atalanta reached the Round of 32 in his first season there. The year after, he played three times, scoring once, as they lost in the play-off round on penalties to Copenhagen. Alessandro Florenzi Champions League best: Semi-final (Roma, 2017-18) Europa League best: Round of 16 (Roma, 2014-15 and 2016-17) A loyal player whose only permanent home has been boyhood club Roma, Florenzi will be hoping to captain Roma to success this season. In the past, when serving as a vice-captain behind Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi, he reached the Europa League Round of 16 on two occasions. Roma lost to Fiorentina and Lyon respectively, before he was part of the first post-Totti side, which instantly reached its furthest ever stage in the Champions League era. Javier Pastore Champions League best: Quarter-final (PSG, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16) Europa League best: Group stage (Palermo, 2010-11; PSG, 2011-12) For a player of his pedigree, Pastore's record in Europe makes for rather disappointing reading. The attacking midfielder was part of a PSG side still finding their feet on the continent, as they lost in the quarter-finals in four successive seasons. In the Europa League - which he will be playing in for the first time in eight seasons - he has never made it beyond the group stage, as both Palermo and PSG finished third when he was involved with them. Leonardo Spinazzola Champions League best: Quarter-final (Juventus, 2018-19) Europa League best: Round of 32 (Atalanta, 2017-18) Despite being at Juventus since 2012, a series of loan spells meant Spinazzola's European debut was delayed until 2017, when he helped Atalanta to the Round of 32, playing in six games. His form in Bergamo was rewarded with a Juventus return the next season, but they couldn't beat Dutch giants Ajax in the quarter-finals. He played just one game in the tournament, but will have more opportunities in Europe with Roma. Amadou Diawara Champions League best: Round of 16 (Napoli, 2016-17) Europa League best: Quarter-final (Napoli, 2018-19) One of the players who could benefit from Fonseca's rotation policy in Europe, Diawara's only previous experiences in continental competitions came with Napoli. In his first year there, they reached the Round of 16 of the Champions League, the furthest the club has ever been in the tournament. After coming third in their group in each of the last two seasons, they dropped down to the Europa League, losing to RB Leipzig in the Round of 32 in 2018, and reaching the quarter-finals in 2019, where they were beaten by Henrikh Mkhitaryan's Arsenal without scoring. Mirko Antonucci Champions League best: Semi-final (Roma, 2017-18) Europa League best: N/A Only included on Roma's secondary squad list for the group stage, the Italian youngster came on as a last-throw-of-the-dice sub in the second leg against Liverpool in the Champions League two seasons ago. Daniel Fuzato Champions League best: N/A Europa League best: N/A Signed from Palmeiras last summer, Fuzato is yet to make his senior debut for Roma, and has not been included on the squad list for this year's group stages. Henrikh Mkhitaryan Champions League best: Quarter-final (Shakhtar, 2010-11; Borussia Dortmund, 2013-14) Europa League best: Winner (Manchester United, 2016-17) The last Europa League winner on this list, Mkhitaryan started and scored in Man Utd's 2-0 win over Ajax in 2017. After moving to Arsenal, he should have had the chance to play in another final last season, but political tensions between host venue for the final, Azerbaijan, and Mkhitaryan's home country, Armenia, meant he did not travel as his side lost to Chelsea. In the Champions League, he has reached the quarter-finals on two occasions. In 2011, after beating Roma in the Round of 16, Mkhitaryan's Shakhtar lost to Barcelona. Later, the Dortmund side he joined in 2013 had reached the CL final the season before, but weren't able to repeat the feat.
Antonio Mirante Champions League best: Round of 16 (Roma, 2018-19) Europa League best: Group stage (Sampdoria, 2008-09) Veteran keeper Mirante made his Champions League debut with Roma last season, playing once in the group stage versus Viktoria Plzen and then in the first leg of the Round of 16 against Porto. Roma won that leg, but when Robin Olsen returned in his place for the second leg, it was an extra time elimination for the Giallorossi. This year, Mirante may be given the chance to play in the Europa League for the first time in over a decade, having previously kept goal for Sampdoria on three occasions over two seasons in the tournament. Justin Kluivert Champions League best: Round of 16 (Roma, 2018-19) Europa League best: Runner up (Ajax, 2016-17) Kluivert had to watch on as a spectator as his former Ajax side marched to the semi-finals of last season's Champions League, having moved to Roma last summer. He could only reach the Round of 16 with his new side, but it was still better than the qualifying eliminations he had experienced in his previous two seasons with the Dutch side. The first of those led them to the Europa League final, where Kluivert stayed on the bench as Mkhitaryan helped fire Man Utd to the trophy. Now, the duo are teammates, and with both having unfinished business in the competition, they will be hoping to go far with Roma.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan drew the headlines on Sunday as the winger scored on his Roma debut, the third goal in a 4-2 win over Sassuolo.
Voted man of the match on the club's Twitter account, despite Lorenzo Pellegrini claiming the plaudits in Giallorossi Yorkshire's review, Mkhitaryan joins an elite list of players to have found the net in their first game for the club - with legends such as Rodolfo Volk, Roberto Pruzzo and Pedro Manfredini all having done the same in the 20th Century. More recently, several players have also started on the front foot with a debut goal for Roma. Here are the last 10 to do so. Henrikh Mkhitaryan v Sassuolo (15/9/19)
Mkhitaryan made a positive first impression to his new home crowd on Sunday, becoming the 58th player to score on their Roma debut. The experienced Armenian announced himself to Serie A by firing in a left-footed shot after being teed up by a perfectly-timed through ball from Lorenzo Pellegrini. As a big name signing (not just in terms of spelling...), the 30-year-old lived up to the expectations early on, and now must continue in the same vein.
Aleksandar Kolarov v Torino (20/8/18)
Playing behind 'Micki' on the left flank was veteran full-back Kolarov, who had been the last player to score on their first Roma appearance. Kolarov's signing was met with a mixed reception, with some diehard fans unhappy about his past association with Lazio. What better way to endear himself to the skeptical supporters by scoring the winning goal on the first day of the season? And it wasn't just any goal - it was a genius free kick struck under the wall, that caught everybody by surprise and gave Roma the win.
Stephan El Shaarawy v Frosinone (30/1/16)
To continue the theme of left-sided players scoring on their debuts, we go back to 2016 to reminisce about El Shaarawy's scorpion flick against Frosinone. Signed on loan from Milan that winter after a dismal spell at Monaco, the winger flashed back into life upon his Serie A return, kickstarting a prolific scoring run with a debut goal - using a technique that is still scarcely believable nearly four years on.
Adem Ljajic v Verona (1/9/13)
El Shaarawy wasn't the only one to open his account in spectacular fashion. Just four days after joining from Fiorentina, the Serbian hit the target from outside the box after being set up by Miralem Pjanic. It wasn't exactly a sign of things to come from Ljajic, who suffered from inconsistency during his two years in the capital.
Nico Lopez v Catania (26/8/12)
Looking back, this goal paints a picture of a very different Roma side. American midfielder Michael Bradley clipped a great aerial ball through to January signing Lopez, who, making his first team bow under Zdenek Zeman, controlled it, flicked it over the defender and connected with a sweet left-footed volley. It was the only goal the Uruguayan scored in his seven Roma appearances.
Erik Lamela v Palermo (23/10/11)
Lopez and Lamela both joined from South American clubs, as Roma looked to provide them with a pathway into European football. Lamela's signing was obviously the more highly anticipated due to the greater amount of money spent on him, but he had to wait until October for his debut after joining that summer. He made the most of it, though, curling in a shot from out wide in the box just eight minutes into his first game.
Filippo Scardina v CSKA Sofia (16/12/09) The last homegrown Roma academy graduate to mark his debut with a goal, Scardina was given an opportunity by Claudio Ranieri in the last game of the Europa League group stages, coming on with the score at 2-0 in the 81st minute. Eight minutes later, he had made it 3-0. However, he never played for the club again, and has since drifted around Serie C. Shabani Nonda v Reggina (28/8/05) Signed from Monaco in 2005, the African striker came on as a substitute on the opening day of the new season, and scored late in stoppage time in a 3-0 win - in Luciano Spalletti's first game in charge. He would only add three more goals for the club, before being loaned to Blackburn Rovers the following season. John Carew v Brescia (14/9/03) Two players made a scoring debut in the first home game of Fabio Capello's final season in charge of Roma. In the 88th minute, Carew scored the last goal of the game from the penalty spot, with regular penalty taker Francesco Totti having been brought off and thus denied a hat-trick. Carew scored eight goals in 29 appearances during his loan from Valencia, but was not signed permanently at the end of the year. Cristian Chivu v Brescia (14/9/03)
The second name on the scoresheet in that 5-0 rout had been Romanian defender Chivu, who started in defence having signed from Ajax. He doubled Roma's lead with a perfectly placed free kick struck with his stronger left foot to mark his first game in Italian football with a goal. Chivu was certainly not known for goalscoring prowess by the end of his four seasons with Roma, though, managing just five more goals in 122 more appearances.
Roma brought in four players on loan towards the end of the summer transfer window, deals which could prove to be shrewd operations.
Nikola Kalinic joined from Atletico Madrid with an option to buy, while Chris Smalling - the second English player in the club's history - Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Davide Zappacosta all came in on dry loans. However, not all the loan deals Roma have made in recent years have been successful. Excluding loans that involved an obligation to buy (such as the ones to sign Gianluca Mancini and Jordan Veretout this summer), here are the last 10 temporary signings Roma have made, and how well each one went. 2018 - Jonathan Silva High up a very long list of bad and bizarre decisions made by previous sporting director Monchi, Jonathan Silva was chosen as the replacement for Emerson Palmieri, who had just joined Chelsea, in January 2018. The difference between the two players could not have been greater. Roma desperately needed a reliable left-back to provide competition for Aleksandar Kolarov, who had made a blistering start to his Giallorossi career, but was starting to show signs of fatigue. Silva, however, was not that man. Thanks in part to injury, which made his signing even more questionable, it took until late April for him to make his club debut. His next appearance for the club would be his last. Naturally, Roma declined their option to buy him - which would have worryingly become an obligation had he made more than 10 appearances. 2017 - Clement Grenier January loan deals have not tended to be kind to Roma. Grenier arrived 12 months before Silva, but his impact was only slightly greater. It was thought that the former Lyon man could add some creativity to Luciano Spalletti's attack, which was in danger of becoming a bit one-dimensional, but he only made one start in Serie A. There were signs that he still had some quality, as he provided an assist for Stephan El Shaarawy on that start, against Palermo, but injuries seemed to have caught up with him, and in the end, it was just the wrong fit. He has since returned to his native France, spending a season at Guingamp before joining Rennes last summer. 2016 - Thomas Vermaelen There was a fair weight of expectation when Vermaelen arrived at Roma on a season's loan from Barcelona in 2016. The Lupi needed defensive reinforcements, and Vermaelen was a player with bundles of experience who, on paper, should have been a valuable asset. In the end, that was not the case. Often struggling with injury, but also finding difficulty in adapting to the tactics of the Italian game, the former Arsenal man was more of a liability than a help. Things started negatively when he was sent off for two yellow cards just 41 minutes into his debut, in the Champions League play-off tie against Porto. And his situation did not improve from there, with it eventually being a no-brainer to pass on the option to sign him. 2015 and 2016 - Wojciech Szczesny One of the more successful loan spells of recent times for Roma, Szczesny got his career back on track in Italy after stagnating at Arsenal. At first, it was not clear whether he would be first choice or if Morgan De Sanctis would retain the gloves, but the Polish shot-stopper quickly established himself as number one. Overall, he did well enough in the 2015-16 season to see Roma extend his loan for another year. For his second season, Szczesny continued as first choice, despite the arrival of Alisson Becker. Looking back, that hierarchy looks bizarre, but at the time it made complete sense. Szczesny improved further in his second year with Roma, whereas Alisson was still something of an unknown quantity in Europe. Hence, it was quite disappointing to see Szczesny join Juventus on a permanent deal at the end of the season, as his service had been important in a critical position - but little did Roma know the value of his understudy, who was ready to become one of the best goalkeepers in the world the following season. 2016 - Federico Fazio After two unsuccessful years at Tottenham, the last part of which was spent on loan back at Sevilla, Federico Fazio needed a change. Coming to Roma gave him the perfect chance to get away and start afresh. The Argentine, despite lesser expectations, was practically an instant hit. The 3-4-2-1 system being used by Spalletti was perfect for the defender, and as a result, he was one of the strongest players of the season. At €3.2m, the option to buy him permanently looked like a bargain, and even if he has never quite replicated the form of that season, he has still been an important member of the squad - enough to earn a contract extension recently. 2016 - Diego Perotti Arriving half a season before his compatriot Fazio, Perotti helped replenish a Roma attack that was beginning to look short of ideas - having only managed to score more than one goal in three of the last 10 matches before he joined. Brought in on loan from Genoa, Perotti proved useful as either a left winger or a false nine, and like Fazio, remains at the club today after his loan was bought out. Perotti has since passed 100 appearances for the club, while his role as first-choice penalty taker has seen him score 26 times for the Giallorossi. 2016 - Ervin Zukanovic It may come as something of a surprise to find out that Zukanovic was still owned by Roma as recently as June 2018. The Bosnian's addition from Sampdoria in January 2016 felt like an emergency measure, as Roma were desperately short of defensive options. Zukanovic was steady enough to fill in the gaps when needed, but managed just 10 appearances in total. The option to buy him was exercised, but he was immediately loaned out to Atalanta, and never played for Roma again. 2016 - Stephan El Shaarawy Like Perotti, El Shaarawy was brought in to create a more dangerous attack for recently-appointed Spalletti. He certainly succeeded in that task, scoring a backheel flick on his debut against Frosinone. It was a sign of things to come, as the Italian put his unsuccessful spell with Monaco behind him by adding a further seven goals before the end of the season. The decision to purchase him outright from AC Milan was one of the easiest Roma have had to make in recent times. However, over the next couple of seasons, he struggled to recapture that initial spark of form on a consistent basis. Last season, he finally returned to delivering his potential, before he was sold to Shanghai Shenhua to the frustration of many fans. 2015 - Lucas Digne Roma made Leonardo Spinazzola their third most expensive signing of all-time this summer, behind Patrik Schick and Gabriel Batistuta, but they may not have needed to if they had continued their association with Lucas Digne. The French full-back had only been used as a rotation player in his two years at PSG, and needed a new environment to accomplish his potential. As for Roma, their free signing of Ashley Cole the year before had not gone to plan, and Jose Holebas had moved to Watford, meaning a new left-back was required. Coming to Roma gave Digne the opportunity to reunite with Rudi Garcia, who had been his manager at Lille, where he started his career. The duo picked up from where they had left off, with Digne nailing down the starting spot ahead of Emerson Palmieri (who is not included in this list because his loan from Santos became an obligation to buy after he made 10 appearances for the club). Digne finished the season with three goals from 42 appearances, and declared his desire to stay - but Roma failed to exercise their option to buy him, making the questionable decision to replace him with Mario Rui, while watching the Frenchman secure a move to Barcelona for an initial €16m - a figure probably greater than the one PSG had pencilled in with Roma when negotiating the option to buy. 2015 - Norbert Gyomber Most of Roma's business that summer was conducted through loan deals, including ones that brought Mohamed Salah, Antonio Rudiger and Edin Dzeko to the club - all of which were made permanent. Continuing chronologically backwards, though, brings us to another player who was bought at the end of his loan spell - in far more confusing circumstances. Slovakian defender Gyomber had made just six appearances after arriving on temporary terms from Catania, who had just been demoted to the Lega Pro as part of a match-fixing scandal. Despite his failure to make an impact, Roma signed him permanently for €1.5m. Like Zukanovic after him, he did not play for the club again, joining Pescara, then Terek Grozny, then Bari on loan. He now plays for Perugia having secured a permanent move last summer, but his original contract he signed upon completing his permanent move to Roma would have only expired two months ago.
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. As Daniele De Rossi prepares to head to Argentina on his 36th birthday to sign for Boca Juniors, the reality that he is no longer a Roma player is really beginning to hit home - if it hadn't already.
De Rossi's exit from his hometown club meant that, despite being second on the list of all-time appearances, he would never get the chance to win a Serie A title with Roma - a cruel fate that has also met several of the club's biggest legends. Here are just 10 of the players whose great service to Roma sadly never culminated in a league title. Giacomo Losi De Rossi shares a feat with Francesco Totti, who of course did win Serie A with Roma, that no-one else can match - that of making more appearances for the club than Giacomo Losi. Representing no other team in Serie A, defender Losi featured for Roma on an impressive 455 occasions. He remains the only captain to have lifted a European trophy with Roma - the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1961 - but was never able to add the Italian title to his medal collection. Fulvio Bernardini Long before even Losi, Bernardini was a player whose contribution to Roma was so great that their training ground is named after him to this day. Joining the club in 1928, a year after their foundation, the midfielder was undoubtedly one of the best of his generation, playing his part in laying the groundworks for Roma to become serious challengers, but he dropped down to Serie C to close out his career three years before Roma won their first ever Scudetto. Pedro Manfredini One of the key players in the Fairs Cup triumph, having been the tournament's top scorer that year, Manfredini was one of the most clinical strikers in Roma's history. No foreign player scored more goals for the club than the Argentine, who had a phenomenal goals-to-games ratio - but like his teammate Losi, he couldn't clinch Scudetto honours during his time in Rome. Rodolfo Volk Another great striker from an earlier era, Volk holds several impressive records for Roma. As the first ever goalscorer in the Derby Della Capitale and the first player to reach 100 goals for the club, his place in history is assured. However, his five-year stint in Rome ended without a trophy. Francesco Rocca One of the first players to be inducted into the Roma Hall of Fame, Rocca was a one-club man who, despite only scoring two goals in his career, will always be remembered by the Giallorossi faithful for his loyalty. Roma's left-back of the 1970s brushed shoulders with many members of the squad that would conquer Italy in 1983, but he had retired before he could have been a part of that glorious triumph. Sergio Santarini Santarini left Roma in the same year as Rocca (1981), and was a player who had similar longevity with the club. The defender played for the Lupi across three decades, having joined in the late 1960s, and won three Coppe Italia with the club; however, just like his teammate, the league title eluded him. Alcides Ghiggia The legendary winger, who scored the winning goal for Uruguay in the 1950 World Cup final, was one of Roma's most gifted players in the 1950s and 60s. He made more than 200 appeareances, with the crowning glory of his time in Italy being the Fairs Cup triumph he was a part of alongside Losi and Manfredini. The year after he left Roma, he finally won Serie A with AC Milan - although he only played a bit part role. Toninho Cerezo One of the players added to the squad after the Scudetto was won in 1983, it was hoped that Cerezo could help inspire an age of dominance for Roma. He played a big part in the Giallorossi's quest to the final of the European Cup in his first year, only for his new side to be beaten by Liverpool. Like Ghiggia, he managed to win a league title elsewhere after leaving Roma, with Sampdoria in 1991 - although he was once again a beaten finalist in the European Cup the following season. Pierino Prati One of the legendary Nils Liedholm's first signings at Roma in 1973, Prati was hoping to replicate the success he had had at Milan, where he had won the Scudetto in 1968. Despite his optimal goalscoring record in the 1974-75 season, Roma only came third that year - and it turned out to be his highest league finish with the club. He had retired by the time his former coach Liedholm guided Roma to the title in the 1980s. Rudi Voller A striker of international quality, Germany legend Voller was Roma's top scorer in three of his five years in Italy. Unfortunately, that stint came in something of a bridging period between Roma's two most recent league titles. Joining in 1987 for Liedholm's last full season in charge, it was the end of an era as Voller lent his talents to the Lupi. After scoring 68 goals for the club, Voller left Roma in 1992, the year before a certain Francesco Totti made his debut - signalling the start of a new journey that would reach its pinnacle almost a decade on, with the club's third league title coming in the 2000-01 campaign. Watch: The best videos as fans line the streets of Rome to celebrate the club's foundation22/7/2019
The question of when Roma was founded is a topic of debate among the club's fanbase, but the most traditional answer is 22nd July.
Officially, the club was established on 7th June 1927, but many still believe that the real date of Roma's foundation was 22nd July, and fans have been lining the streets of Rome to celebrate the occasion. Last night, waiting for midnight, supporters gathered around iconic landmarks such as the Pantheon and Piazza Del Popolo, as well as the location of the club's first stadium, Campo Testaccio, to mark the 92nd anniversary of the club's formation. Here are some of the best videos and photos of the events from Twitter.
Roma’s new sporting director Gianluca Petrachi is already turning his attentions to bringing new players into the club, and his gaze appears to be partially cast towards La Liga.
Two of the names most heavily linked with a move to Roma both come from the same Spanish club: Real Betis. Goalkeeper Pau Lopez is seen as the ideal man to help fans forget about the woes of Robin Olsen, while Marc Bartra has been identified as a potential replacement for Kostas Manolas. Both are good players, who could prove to be solid additions. But how have players fared when joining Roma from La Liga in the past? Here are the 10 most recent players to make such a switch. Steven Nzonzi (2018) Somewhat surprisingly, Petrachi’s predecessor Monchi only signed one player from La Liga in his spell as Roma's sporting director, despite having spent all his previous career in Spain. That player was someone he had signed before, but like the director himself, wasn't able to replicate the success he had had at Sevilla. Steven Nzonzi's first season with Roma was a mix of ups and downs, with the defensive midfielder not showing the form that saw him become an important part of France's World Cup winning side last summer. After he failed to turn up for his pre-season medicals, it looks like he will be headed for a swift exit. Thomas Vermaelen (2016) Not helped by injuries during his time in the capital, the experienced Vermaelen was a big disappointment in his season on loan at Roma from Barcelona. He was sent off within the first half of his debut, picking up two yellow cards in the drawn first leg of the Champions League play-off defeat to Porto. Beyond that, he was only given six starts in all competitions by Luciano Spalletti, as Manolas, Antonio Rudiger, Federico Fazio and Juan Jesus all proved to be much more reliable options. Seydou Keita (2014) Hardly a headline grabber, but always a solid presence in the midfield, Keita arrived at Roma from Barcelona with a wealth of experience in 2014. He became one of the captains of the group, making more than 50 appearances across a two-year spell. He had won 14 major trophies with Barcelona, but the Malian was not able to add to his honours list in Italy. Antonio Sanabria (2014) Another player to have traded the Camp Nou for Stadio Olimpico, Sanabria had bags of potential when he arrived, but the young striker never really got his opportunity to flourish - making only two appearances before being loaned out to Sporting Gijon the next summer. Roma retained their belief in the player when they inserted a buyback clause into the deal when he was sold to Betis, but that agreement will be relinquished in order to bring Lopez to the club. Jose Angel (2011) With John Arne Riise leaving for Fulham in 2011, Roma needed a replacement at left-back, and 20-year-old Spaniard Jose Angel was chosen. After three successful seasons in the Spanish top flight with hometown club Sporting Gijon, he could have turned out to be a shrewd purchase, but the player lasted just a season in Rome before being loaned out to Real Sociedad for two years, and then being sold to Porto. Bojan Krkic (2011) Once dubbed the new Messi, Bojan was looking for a change of scenery after dropping down the pecking order at Barcelona. The forward joined Roma in a €12m deal, where he would be coached by a fellow former Barca man, Luis Enrique. That season did not go exactly as planned, as Roma came seventh in Serie A, with Bojan contributing seven goals from 33 league games. It was his only season at the Olimpico, as he headed to Milan the year after. Dani Osvaldo (2011) After playing for the likes of Lecce, Fiorentina and Bologna early in his career, Osvaldo made the switch to Spain in 2010 when he signed for Espanyol - initially on loan. The striker spent one-and-a-half seasons in La Liga, before Roma took him back to Italy. A controversial character, Osvaldo finished as top scorer in each of his two seasons with Roma, but Roma made a small loss when they sold him to Southampton in 2013. Fernando Gago (2011) Gago's career had stalled at Real Madrid when Roma took the chance to sign him on loan for Enrique's first season. Roma certainly gave him the opportunity to play more, as he made more appearances than he had managed in his last two years in Madrid, but it wasn't enough to convince the club to make his signing permanent. The Argentine went to Valencia instead. Julio Baptista (2008) Hardly prolific with Real Madrid, Roma gave Baptista the opportunity to revive his career in Italy. His debut was the 2008 Supercoppa Italiana, in which he scored in the penalty shootout as Roma lost to Inter. He continued his good start to life in Rome with a goal in his second Serie A appearance, and he also scored in the first Derby Della Capitale of the season. However, his numbers began to drop, and he was sold to Malaga in 2011. Ludovic Giuly (2007) A fully fledged French international by the time he came to Roma, Giuly had won La Liga with Barcelona in his first two seasons in Catalonia. However, in 2007, he had to make way for emerging talent Lionel Messi, who had taken his place in the team. Giuly came to Roma, where he lasted just a season, despite being the team's fourth top scorer in that campaign with eight goals in all. He was also able to add Supercoppa and Coppa Italia winners medals to his cabinet. Should their arrivals in Rome be confirmed, Lopez and Bartra will be hoping to buck the trend, as several players plucked from La Liga by Roma have not quite worked out as expected. Nonetheless, some were able to add trophies to their collection, and it wouldn’t go amiss if the Betis duo could help Roma achieve some form of major honours again after more than a decade of dust in the cabinet. After many years of steady progress on and off the pitch, Roma find themselves back at square one following a dismal season, which saw changes in the squad, head coach and sporting director.
For the first time in six years, Roma failed to finish in the Champions League places, meaning even more changes are set to take place this summer. Missing out on qualifying for the competition is a huge blow to the club's finances, meaning key players are likely to be sold, and with no clear sign of who is going to take over as the next coach, the situation is becoming more complicated by the day. Here, Giallorossi Yorkshire takes a look at what happened in the summer after the last time Roma finished sixth (in 2012-13), to see if that can give any insight into how the club might set about their rebuild this time around. The managerial situation Just like this season, Roma's last majorly disappointing year ended with a caretaker manager in charge. Aurelio Andreazzoli, long-time assistant at the club, had replaced Zdenek Zeman on an interim basis in February, but like Claudio Ranieri this year, wasn't given the role full-time. Instead, Roma's leadership looked abroad. Lille coach Rudi Garcia was appointed as the new head coach, despite having never played or coached in Italy before. Garcia had led Lille to the Ligue 1 and Coupe De France double in 2010-11, with the league title being their first since the 1950s. However, his final season in charge had seen the French side finish 6th, just like the club he was joining. It was a somewhat left-field appointment, a calculated gamble, but it almost had the desired effect. Under Garcia, Roma won their first 10 Serie A matches, setting a new league record. However, the momentum was lost towards the end of the season, and Roma finished runners up to Juventus. In the short-term, Garcia gave Roma the breath of fresh air they needed, but he could never quite recapture that original magic thereafter. Perhaps Roma will pick out a foreign manager again this time. Could it be Paulo Fonseca from Shakhtar in Ukraine, or Pepe Bordalas from Getafe in Spain? The sales Several big names were sold following the failure to qualify for the Champions League. The most expensive departures were Erik Lamela for €30m and Marquinhos for €35m, two young South Americans who had blossomed at Roma and moved on to bigger things. Another significant departure was that of Dani Osvaldo, who moved to Southampton after two seasons with Roma, in both of which he was top scorer. Fellow attacker Bojan Krkic, who had spent the year out on loan at Milan, was bought back by Barcelona. In addition, goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg and midfielder Panagiotis Tachtisidis were moved on for small sums, while the squad was hit with the retirement of a legendary midfielder in Simone Perrotta - similar to how Roma are losing Daniele De Rossi now. Of course, Roma can expect to sell big names this summer, too. Kostas Manolas and Cengiz Under are probably the most likely candidates. They are the Marquinhos and Lamela of this team, in a way - two talents, a defender and a winger, who were given a platform by this club and can be sold on for a big profit. The Osvaldo to leave will likely be Edin Dzeko, who has not matched his standards of the past two seasons, and has been linked with PSG and Inter Milan. Dzeko's former Manchester City teammate, Aleksandar Kolarov, could also leave, with a return to boyhood club Red Star mooted. The signings In light of all the departures, some major signings were needed, and Roma ended up bringing 13 players to the club. Three of those - Gianluca Caprari, Giammario Piscitella and Valerio Verre - were returning after loans or co-ownerships, although the latter two were sold on straight away. The signings were a mix of talents picked from smaller Serie A clubs, and exciting arrivals from overseas. To replace Marquinhos, Mehdi Benatia was brought in from Udinese (who had finished fifth), while Lamela's departure was accounted for by the signings of Adem Ljajic and Gervinho - the latter having been part of the side that had won Ligue 1 under Garcia at Lille. The most expensive purchase was Kevin Strootman, a 23-year-old Dutch midfielder arriving from PSV. At the other end of the scale, the cheapest addition was Maicon, who joined on a free from Man City. Mattia Destro came in from Genoa, after top scoring on loan at Siena, while Morgan De Sanctis came in as the new first choice goalkeeper. How might a similar scenario play out this year? One defender who has been linked with the club is Gianluca Mancini. Like Udinese in 2013, Atalanta finished above Roma this year, and the Giallorossi could take one of their most important components to restore the natural order. The identity of the next coach is unclear, but perhaps he too will be reunited with a former player, who can become Garcia's Gervinho. Will Roma look at free agents like they did with Maicon? A number of decent players will be available for nothing this summer: Fernando Llorente has been linked as a replacement for Edin Dzeko, for example. The young potential In 2013, Roma also added some younger players, like Tin Jedvaj and Lukasz Skorupski, to freshen up the roster. This year, Banfield's Agustin Urzi has been linked, a 19-year-old Argentine winger. Players from the club's own youth ranks were also given bigger roles in the first team, such as defender Alessio Romagnoli, and, to a lesser extent, winger Federico Ricci. Will Roma supplement their squad next season with the talents of midfielder Alessio Riccardi, striker Zan Celar, or winger Gianmarco Cangiano, for example? Or perhaps a former youth player will be brought back, like Caprari was - Davide Frattesi, who was sold to Sassuolo in 2017, has been linked with a return after impressing on loan at Ascoli this year, and Luca Pellegrini can come back from his loan at Cagliari with renewed optimism of breaking into the Roma first team. The results As mentioned above, the changes Roma made had an immediate positive effect. The season ended with a second place finish in the league and a run to the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia, where they lost on aggregate to Napoli despite a first leg win. Several of the new signings strengthened the side, with Benatia, Gervinho, Destro, Skorupski and Strootman all being sold for profit in the future. Destro was Roma's top scorer in his debut year, Strootman was magnificent, and De Sanctis became a reliable number one. Even some of the outgoings worked in Roma's favour. Lamela has been injury prone at Tottenham Hotspur, Stekelenburg has never really played regularly since leaving, and Osvaldo, most bizarrely of all, has quit football altogether to become a musician. Despite all the turbulence, things worked out well in the end - at least in the short-term. So, even though the picture remains unclear in the present day, perhaps there is hope that Roma can recover next year, and return to where they should be. The big decisions must be made now.
It was supposed to be the glorious homecoming. The pinnacle of the history of a club. Competing in their first ever European Cup final, in front of their own fans.
On May 30th, 1984, Roma contested their first - and, to date, only - European Cup final, taking on Liverpool at Stadio Olimpico. It was the opportunity for the greatest side in the club's history to establish themselves as world beaters. Several of the players were already known to the world - Bruno Conti and Francesco Graziani were World Cup winners, Falcao a star with Brazil - but this was their chance to put Roma at the forefront of the European landscape. Everything seemed to be lined up well. A year on from winning their second Scudetto, Roma had beaten IFK Goteborg, CSKA Sofia, Dynamo Berlin and Dundee United to book their place in the final, to be contested at their home ground. This was a Roma team consisting of stars, some of the best players to ever pull on the Giallorossi shirt. The game did not start at a break-neck pace. The intense atmosphere of the Roman crowd was not matched on the pitch for the first 10 minutes, and it was the English side - officially the 'home' team despite the location - who took the lead. Roma keeper Franco Tancredi tried to claim a cross, but was bundled off the ball, before Phil Neal expertly found the gap between the diving Roma defenders to put the Reds in front. In the modern day, it would probably have been given as a foul on the keeper, and even at the time, the Roma faithful were aggrieved at the decision to let the goal stand. But they couldn't think about it too long. This was a final long before the days of VAR. There was a game to be won, and plenty of time to achieve it in. Roma started to find a rhythm in the game, with inspirational captain Agostino Di Bartolomei pinging beautifully-struck long-range passes across the field. Little did he know that it would be one of his last games for the club, who he had represented so gracefully for over a decade. It hadn't crossed his mind that it would have been a fitting end to his Roma career to go out with the European Cup trophy; ever the professional, Di Bartolomei just wanted to win for the sake of winning, as normal. Alongside him in midfield, Brazilian duo Falcao and Toninho Cerezo were starting to get involved as well. The only two foreigners in Roma's lineup, both had an excellent range of passing and desire to get forward, where they would link up with attacking midfielder Conti. The number seven played with freedom in the first half, taking most of the corners and trying to test Bruce Grobbelaar in the Liverpool goal. And, as half-time approached, Conti made his most decisive contribution yet. The momentum had been swinging in Roma's favour, and they got the equaliser they deserved three minutes before the break. Conti shrugged off the defender to play a cross in with his weaker right foot, and Roberto Pruzzo was there in the middle to finish with a swooping header. It was a marvelous piece of technique from 'Il Bomber', who managed to put a significant amount of power and placement on the header, despite his low position. The Italian had not had many opportunities before that - strike partner Graziani was seeing more of the ball - but he reminded the fans just why he was so highly regarded with the great finish. Roma were rallied by the goal; Liverpool were rattled. It is often said in football that there are few better times to score than just before half-time. In this instance, perhaps Roma could have benefited from scoring about five minutes earlier than they did. They were really putting pressure on Liverpool after drawing level, and maybe with a few more minutes, they could have got a second before the half-time whistle. Despite their best efforts, a second goal never came - neither before, nor after the break. The second half followed a similar pattern, with both sides figuring each other out tactically. Neither keeper had too many saves to make, but the battle was intriguing nonetheless. Sebino Nela was having an influence down the left-hand side, bombing on from his full-back position and putting in some good crosses. Roma were winning free kicks in dangerous areas, but weren't making the most of them. Their approach became a little too predictable; Conti would roll the ball to Di Bartolomei, who would shoot from distance. Liverpool were thwarting most of the chances. Roma's hopes of winning took a downturn when Pruzzo was forced off injured. Odoacre Chierico replaced him, prompting a tactical reshuffle, but with the thought of extra time and penalties looming, Nils Liedholm knew he had lost one of his best options from the spot. Pruzzo was a clinical penalty taker, but he would unfortunately not be there for the shootout, when his team needed him most. As we all know, that is how the game was decided. During an extra time period which fatigued the players - Dario Bonetti and Cerezo both suffering from bouts of cramp - the tension was palpable. Penalties were on the horizon, and as unfair a way as it is to lose, it really was the only way the two sides could be separated. The shootout was to be conducted under the Curva Sud, Roma's fans urging their side on. How romantic a scene it would be if Roma could emerge victorious. Liverpool went first, and when Steve Nicol blazed his effort over the bar, there was an immediate sense of relief, anticipation and hope. Di Bartolomei tucked his penalty coolly away down the middle (with his last ever kick in a Roma shirt), and it looked like the initiative was with the Giallorossi. Very quickly, though, things turned back in Liverpool's favour. After Neal had converted his spot kick for Liverpool, Conti repeated what Nicol had done, skying his shot over the bar. It was an unexpected miss from someone blessed with such good quality and technique, who had had a positive impact on the game in normal time. Things were all square again. Graeme Souness, Ubaldo Righetti and Ian Rush all scored their penalties, leaving a tired Graziani to take next. His focus was interrupted by the now infamous scene of Grobbelaar wobbling his legs, getting in the head of his opponent. Like Conti before him, Graziani missed the target. The decisive penalty fell to Alan Kennedy, and the Reds full-back made no mistake, breaking the hearts of the thousands of Romanisti in the Stadio. Roma had achieved so much under Liedholm, and had fought their way to a top position among the European elite. But even with the backing of their own home crowd, they couldn't quite get over the line. Who knows if it would have made a difference had Pruzzo stayed fit for the whole game? The striker would certainly have taken a penalty, and most likely scored, but would it really have been instead of one of the two who missed? It's a story that we'll never know, in the same way that the opposition's fans now wonder how last year's Champions League final may have turned out differently without the absence of ex-Roma winger Mohamed Salah. To lose one of your key players in the biggest game of their life is a hammer blow. But despite Roma's narrow defeat, the legacy of that team lives on. Most of those players have earned their place in club history, with seven of the starting XI having been inducted into the Roma Hall of Fame. Few would argue against the notion that that side was the best the club has ever assembled, arguably even better than the squad which last won Serie A under Fabio Capello in 2001. Wherever they ranked, though, they had become a huge part of the fabric of the club. Outside of Italy, only a few of the names from that Roma lineup have been remembered long-term. Falcao and Conti are probably the most well-known, but even legends like Di Bartolomei and Pruzzo are hardly household names worldwide. Had Roma been victorious that warm May night, then perhaps they would have become global icons, getting the recognition they deserved. Roma may never have the chance to compete in a Champions League final again, especially one on their home turf. Even if they came close last year, that side of the 1980s far eclipsed the achievements of many of the Giallorossi sides that have followed. Therefore, for Roma, May 30th, 1984, will always remain a date synonymous with the phrase, 'What might have been...' |
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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