chiesa di totti 
20-04-2024 14:56
20-04-2024 14:56
Roma Rumor Roundup: De Rossi's New Deal, Chiesa Transfer, Udinese Replay Controversy & More!
It was another banner week in the Eternal City for Daniele De Rossi and the Giallorossi. After watching in horror as Evan Ndicka collapsed on the pitch late in the match against Udinese, the club was able to breathe a sigh of relief after Ndicka was given a relatively clean bill of health—or at the very least, the prognosis wasn't as severe as initially feared. Roma then quickly pivoted, shifting their focus to the second and decisive leg of the Europa League Quarterfinals against AC Milan, a neat and tidy 2-1 win at the Stadio Olimpico.
While we wait for Roma's semifinal matchup against Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen, the newly-crowned German champions, let's dip our toes in the water and see what the Romaverse has to offer this weekend.
Multi-Year Deal on the Table for De Rossi Late last week, the club announced a new deal for interim manager Daniele De Rossi, saying simply that their former club captain would remain Roma's manager for the foreseeable future. What that means remains up for debate, but according to a recent report from La Gazzetta dello Sport, the club is lining up a multi-year deal for the 40-year-old Roma manager. While no agreement is officially in place, the two sides are expected to return to the negotiating table to hammer out the final details once the season concludes in late May.
Betty Bavagnoli Signs Through 2027
While De Rossi's rise as Roma's manager has been a sight to behold, there isn't a single person, player, or manager who can hold a candle to Betty Bavagnoli. The Giallorosse's first manager built the Roma Women from the ground up, piloting them from a thought experiment to a legitimate title contender. With a championship framework in place, Bavagnoli accepted a promotion to Head of Women's Football in 2021, watching as her hand-picked successor, Alessandro Spugna, lifted the team to its first-ever league title.
With Spugna pulling the strings on the pitch, Bavagnoli has been free to focus on building a consistent winner, retaining Roma's key players while attracting talent from abroad, and keeping the Giallorosse in the mix at home and abroad. This has made the capital club one of Europe's most successful and attractive teams. And with a new three-year deal in place as the Head of Women's Football, Bavagnoli will remain at the helm as the Giallorosse ascends the European ladder.
Has Federico Chiesa Caught Roma's Eye?
Roma hasn't entirely locked down Italy's now official fifth Champions League place yet, but with both avenues to qualification remaining open, the Giallorossi's chances are good—difficult still, but good. And with an influx of CL cash comes glitzier transfer targets, the first of which may be Juventus winger and Roma tormenter Federico Chiesa.
With seven goals in approximately 1,800 league minutes this season, Chiesa has put his recent struggles behind him, looking more like the 21-year-old star-in-the-making Juve plucked from Fiorentina for a cool €44.6 million two summers ago. With one year remaining on his deal and a €40 million valuation, he won't come cheap, but at 26, Roma would be catching Chiesa at his physical peak, so the juice could prove worth the squeeze.
Udinese-Roma Match to Resume on April 25th
Evan Ndicka emerged relatively unscathed from last week's frightening scene in Udine, and that's really all that matters. But it just wouldn't be Serie A if there wasn't controversy regarding the proposed resumption of this match. Late in the week, the league announced that the final 20 minutes would be replayed on April 25th, putting Roma in a bit of a bind.
Dig this itinerary:
April 22nd: Home vs. Bologna
April 25th: Away vs Udinese
April 28th: Away vs Napoli
May 2nd: Home vs. Bayer Leverkusen
May 5th: Home vs. Juventus
May 9th: Away vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Now, that was already a difficult enough stretch, one that could swing the balance sheets by tens of millions next season and beyond, but dropping a mid-week trip to Udinese in the middle of all that makes an already tricky stretch even more challenging. Roma voiced their displeasure at the league's decision, but we know how that goes.
De Rossi's half-season on the bench has been a trial by fire, so I suppose this isn't any different. It'll be difficult, but DDR has proven he can handle anything opponents throw at him.
Lukaku Remains Doubtful for Bologna Match
Making matters worse, Roma may have to face part of that critical stretch without star striker Romelu Lukaku. With roughly 48 hours before the six-pointer against Thiago Motta's upstart Bologna side, the 30-year-old Belgian forward could miss Monday's fixture with the always ambiguous diagnosis of "muscular issues."
Lukaku hasn't been scoring at the same rate he did earlier in the season, but his work rate and physicality remain critical parts of De Rossi's attack, so this is no trifling matter. In his absence, look for Tammy Abraham and Sardar Azmoun to assume more prominent roles.
That's it for today's roundup but stay with us as we prepare for this brutal slate of matches.
While we wait for Roma's semifinal matchup against Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen, the newly-crowned German champions, let's dip our toes in the water and see what the Romaverse has to offer this weekend.
Multi-Year Deal on the Table for De Rossi Late last week, the club announced a new deal for interim manager Daniele De Rossi, saying simply that their former club captain would remain Roma's manager for the foreseeable future. What that means remains up for debate, but according to a recent report from La Gazzetta dello Sport, the club is lining up a multi-year deal for the 40-year-old Roma manager. While no agreement is officially in place, the two sides are expected to return to the negotiating table to hammer out the final details once the season concludes in late May.
Betty Bavagnoli Signs Through 2027
While De Rossi's rise as Roma's manager has been a sight to behold, there isn't a single person, player, or manager who can hold a candle to Betty Bavagnoli. The Giallorosse's first manager built the Roma Women from the ground up, piloting them from a thought experiment to a legitimate title contender. With a championship framework in place, Bavagnoli accepted a promotion to Head of Women's Football in 2021, watching as her hand-picked successor, Alessandro Spugna, lifted the team to its first-ever league title.
With Spugna pulling the strings on the pitch, Bavagnoli has been free to focus on building a consistent winner, retaining Roma's key players while attracting talent from abroad, and keeping the Giallorosse in the mix at home and abroad. This has made the capital club one of Europe's most successful and attractive teams. And with a new three-year deal in place as the Head of Women's Football, Bavagnoli will remain at the helm as the Giallorosse ascends the European ladder.
Has Federico Chiesa Caught Roma's Eye?
Roma hasn't entirely locked down Italy's now official fifth Champions League place yet, but with both avenues to qualification remaining open, the Giallorossi's chances are good—difficult still, but good. And with an influx of CL cash comes glitzier transfer targets, the first of which may be Juventus winger and Roma tormenter Federico Chiesa.
With seven goals in approximately 1,800 league minutes this season, Chiesa has put his recent struggles behind him, looking more like the 21-year-old star-in-the-making Juve plucked from Fiorentina for a cool €44.6 million two summers ago. With one year remaining on his deal and a €40 million valuation, he won't come cheap, but at 26, Roma would be catching Chiesa at his physical peak, so the juice could prove worth the squeeze.
Udinese-Roma Match to Resume on April 25th
Evan Ndicka emerged relatively unscathed from last week's frightening scene in Udine, and that's really all that matters. But it just wouldn't be Serie A if there wasn't controversy regarding the proposed resumption of this match. Late in the week, the league announced that the final 20 minutes would be replayed on April 25th, putting Roma in a bit of a bind.
Dig this itinerary:
April 22nd: Home vs. Bologna
April 25th: Away vs Udinese
April 28th: Away vs Napoli
May 2nd: Home vs. Bayer Leverkusen
May 5th: Home vs. Juventus
May 9th: Away vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Now, that was already a difficult enough stretch, one that could swing the balance sheets by tens of millions next season and beyond, but dropping a mid-week trip to Udinese in the middle of all that makes an already tricky stretch even more challenging. Roma voiced their displeasure at the league's decision, but we know how that goes.
De Rossi's half-season on the bench has been a trial by fire, so I suppose this isn't any different. It'll be difficult, but DDR has proven he can handle anything opponents throw at him.
Lukaku Remains Doubtful for Bologna Match
Making matters worse, Roma may have to face part of that critical stretch without star striker Romelu Lukaku. With roughly 48 hours before the six-pointer against Thiago Motta's upstart Bologna side, the 30-year-old Belgian forward could miss Monday's fixture with the always ambiguous diagnosis of "muscular issues."
Lukaku hasn't been scoring at the same rate he did earlier in the season, but his work rate and physicality remain critical parts of De Rossi's attack, so this is no trifling matter. In his absence, look for Tammy Abraham and Sardar Azmoun to assume more prominent roles.
That's it for today's roundup but stay with us as we prepare for this brutal slate of matches.