AS Roma searching for solace in Europe again
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Roma’s Paulo Dybala celebrates with teammates after scoring against Venezia in the Italian Serie A.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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PARIS – AS Roma head to Porto in the Europa League on Feb 13 still looking to salvage a poor season after a disappointing January transfer window.
The capital city club sit ninth in Serie A, despite a recent eight-game unbeaten run in the league, and were dumped out of the Italian Cup last week by AC Milan. They needed a 2-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in their final league-phase match just to secure a top-24 finish in the Europa League and a knockout play-off round tie against Porto.
An irritated Claudio Ranieri, back for a third spell in charge as Roma’s third coach of the campaign, pointed to financial fair-play rules when repeatedly asked by reporters why the club did not spend more in January in an attempt to revive their fortunes.
“I will tell the president to spend more money, take three or four years of suspension, that way we won’t go to Europe, we won’t go to the Champions League, and we’ll all be happy,” the 73-year-old told Radio Rai after Roma’s 1-0 win at Venezia on Feb 9, before cutting the interview short.
Roma fans were angered by the decision early in the season to sack popular coach Daniele de Rossi, who helped the team finish sixth in Serie A last term after a similarly bad start. Ivan Juric did not last long as his successor and was dismissed with the club just four points above the relegation zone.
Roma have not finished in the top four of the Italian top flight since the 2017-18 season, but have enjoyed recent success in Europe.
They have reached at least the semi-finals of the Europa League in three of the past four seasons, with the exception being when Jose Mourinho took them to their maiden major European title in the 2021-22 Conference League.
Porto have been in even worse form going into the first leg and are on a five-match winless streak in the Primeira Liga after a 1-1 draw with leaders Sporting Lisbon last week. But the Portuguese side have prevailed in their last two European ties against Roma, in the 2018-19 Champions League last 16 and in 2016-17 Champions League qualifying.
Ajax Amsterdam are also targeting a last-16 place when they take on Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise, buoyed by a run of six consecutive league victories which has taken them to the top of the Eredivisie.
The Dutch giants finished fifth in the Netherlands last season but are getting back to their best. They are hoping to win their first major European trophy since their fourth Champions League title in 1995.
Elsewhere, Mourinho’s Fenerbahce host Anderlecht, while their bitter rivals Galatasaray visit AZ Alkmaar.
Galatasaray’s Super Lig match against Adana Demirspor at the weekend was halted in the 30th minute after the Istanbul side’s opponents walked off in protest after an earlier penalty decision. Fenerbahce then slammed Galatasaray in a statement, accusing their rivals of “harming the state and the Turkish football federation”.
Galatasaray are the only Turkish club to win a European competition, lifting the Uefa Cup, the precursor to the Europa League, and Uefa Super Cup in 2000. AFP
