Jose Mourinho’s tenure as Roma manager was as lively as it was predictable, as he combined feisty press conferences and thinly-veiled barbs at directors with an inevitable piece of silverware.
It also ended prematurely, with the legendary Portuguese having been replaced by former playing icon Daniele De Rossi on January 16th.
The Italian subsequently guided Roma to sixth in Serie A and the European places, while also reaching the semi-final of the UEFA Europa League. He also impressed with his more expansive style of football, but can he and the team achieve in 2024/25?
What Business Have Roma Done so Far?
It has been a busy summer so far for Roma, who have spent €88.60 million on new signings. Artem Dovbyk has joined from Girona for €30.5 million, for example, after scoring 24 La Liga goals for Girona in 2023/24 and claimed the coveted Pichichi Trophy.
Young winger Matías Soulé has also joined from Juventus in a €25.60 million deal, while former Stade Rennais FC midfielder Enzo Le Fée has been snapped up for a cool €23.00 million.
27-year-old left back Angeliño has been signed to replace the departed Leonardo Spinazzola for just €5.20 million, leaving RB Leipzig in the process. Another fullback, Samuel Dahl, has also joined from Djurgårdens IF, in a €4.30 million deal that’s definitely one for the future.
Finally, experienced goalkeeper Mathew Ryan (32) has joined on a free transfer from AZ Alkmaar in the Eredivisie.
Can De Rossi Continue his Excellent Start?
De Rossi won 14 of his 26 matches in the second half of last season, drawing five times and losing on five occasions. Overall, he recorded a win rate of 53.8%, while his team played with genuine attacking threat and optimised the abilities of Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini.
The signing of Dovbyk will provide a further goal threat and offset the loss of Andrea Belotti, while Matías Soulé will add guile and pace in wide areas. Given these additions and the existing strength of Roma’s squad, they may be an excellent bet for a cup run or two and another top six Serie A finish.
But can they do much better than this? Well, the best crypto poker site online is offering odds of around 29.00 on Roma winning the Scudetto in 2024/25, and this appears unlikely given the comparative quality of Internazionale and the expected revivals of Juventus and Napoli next season.
However, Roma have fared well in Europe of late, winning the Europa Conference League under Mourinho in 2021/22 and reaching the final of the Europa League the following season.
Last season, they were edged out in the Europa League last four by Bayer Leverkusen, but they are experienced when playing in continental competitions and could go far again in 2024/25. Overall, it could well be an exciting campaign for Roma, especially with De Rossi providing impressive leadership and enjoying an excellent relationship with fans.