Claudio Ranieri's Confession About His Return to AS Roma
After AS Roma's draw against Tottenham on Thursday in the Europa League (2-2), Claudio Ranieri opened up about his return to the Italian capital.
Although he has yet to secure a victory, Claudio Ranieri remains optimistic. In his second game as AS Roma's manager since his return—and his first on the continental stage—the 73-year-old coach didn’t claim a win but managed to hold Tottenham, led by Ange Postecoglou, to a thrilling and entertaining draw (2-2). It was an impressive performance, considering the Spurs were playing at home during this fifth round of the Europa League and came into the match full of confidence after their emphatic win against Manchester City in the Premier League just days earlier (4-0).
Pleased with the result, even though AS Roma continues to struggle in a disappointing 21st position in the standings, Ranieri praised his players’ performance and their response after losing to Napoli in their last Serie A match. "The boys played a great game. I didn’t expect this kind of reaction. I wasn’t happy with the match against Napoli; we only defended, and I don’t like that. Today, I was clear: we couldn’t rest on our laurels or play with fear. That’s what the fans want to see. The boys understood it, and I’m happy about that," the Roman coach told Sky Sports.
Ranieri’s Mixed Feelings About His Return
Eager to show AS Roma’s fans that his team is capable of competing against opponents like Tottenham, Claudio Ranieri believes he achieved his first goal. This marks the initial step in his mission to rebuild a struggling squad that had been plagued by disappointments in all competitions before his arrival.
Although there’s still much work to be done to restore the club’s prestige, Ranieri used his post-match press conference to reflect on the circumstances of his return after retiring in May. "We’ll see how the season ends, and then we’ll know if this decision was the right one. (...) I wanted something different, but when I retired, I thought that managing a national team could be a good option for the future. However, deep down, I knew there were only two options I couldn’t say no to. One of them was Roma," the Italian coach revealed.
Additionally, Ranieri apologized for taking on this third stint with the team. "I felt sorry to come back because it meant Roma needed me, that it wasn’t in a good place. I hoped the club would be doing well and wouldn’t need me," he said. Unfortunately for him, the Giallorossi sent out a cry for help, and as a devoted admirer of the club, he felt compelled to answer.
