Less than 24 hours after their Champions League exit at Porto, Roma have sacked their manager, Eusebio Di Francesco.
The Giallorossi currently lie fifth in the Serie A table, but after a strong run to the Champions League semi-finals last season, where they were beaten by Liverpool, they fell in the last 16 after extra-time drama in Portugal. They also suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to Lazio in last Saturday’s Rome derby and were thumped 7-1 by Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia last month.
“On behalf of myself and everyone at AS Roma, I’d like to thank Eusebio for his work and his commitment,” said the Roma president, Jim Pallotta. “Since returning to the club, Eusebio has always acted professionally and put the club’s needs ahead of his own. We all wish him well for the future.”
Claudio Ranieri, who was recently fired from his tenure in charge at Fulham, is understood to be an early favourite to succeed Di Francesco.
Roma went out on Wednesday after Porto converted a VAR-assisted penalty three minutes from the end of extra-time. The decision, along with the subsequent rejection of a last-gasp penalty appeal, condemned the Italian side to a 3-1 defeat on the night, 4-3 on aggregate.
Pallotta later railed at the decisions on social media. “Last year we asked for VAR in the Champions Leaague because we got screwed in the semi-final and tonight they’ve got VAR and we still get robbed,” he said. “Patrik Schick was clearly clipped in the box, VAR shows it, and nothing is given. I’m tired of this shit. I give up.”
