Roma appoint Daniele De Rossi as manager after sacking Jose Mourinho

Roma has appointed their former player, Daniele De Rossi (40), as the new manager until the conclusion of the season. This decision comes shortly after the club's separation from manager Jose Mourinho (60) on Tuesday.

Roma made the decision to relieve Mourinho of his coaching duties earlier today, following their 3-1 loss to AC Milan and their current position in the league at ninth place. The team has been struggling to recover from the absence of key players, most notably striker Paulo Dybala who is out due to injury. Their performance has led them to fall behind league leaders Inter Milan by a staggering 22 points.

In light of this, AS Roma announced that Daniele De Rossi, a former player with a distinguished 18-year career at the club, has been appointed as the head coach until June 30, 2024. De Rossi will assume his new role for the upcoming Serie A match against Verona on Saturday evening at the Stadio Olimpico.

Roma's recent form has been disappointing, as they've only managed to secure four points from their last five league matches. Their elimination from the Coppa Italia last week after a 1-0 defeat to rivals Lazio has further dampened their spirits.

Prior to his departure, Mourinho drew comparisons between himself and the fictional character Harry Potter, emphasizing that his presence at the club had heightened fans' expectations for success. Despite recent poor results, he defended his professionalism against critics.

AS Roma expressed their gratitude towards Mourinho for his passion and dedication during his tenure at the club, but they ultimately believed that an immediate change was necessary. The club owners, Dan and Ryan Friedkin, conveyed their well wishes to Mourinho and his assistants in their future endeavors.

Mourinho, who boasts an impressive coaching career with renowned European clubs such as Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, and Manchester United, was appointed as Roma's coach in 2021.

Under his guidance, Roma secured the third-tier Europa Conference League title in 2022. Additionally, Mourinho led the team to the Europa League final in 2023, where they fell short against Sevilla in a penalty shootout.

Roma will welcome Verona, who currently hold the 18th position, for their upcoming match on Saturday.