ROME — The era of “Tinkerman” is now behind him; Claudio Ranieri has established himself as the “Derbyman”.
In a captivating display of football, Ranieri and his Roma triumphed over Lazio with a decisive 2-0 win in the capital’s final Serie A derby, giving the Giallorossi a boost of confidence in a difficult campaign.
Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini opened the scoring with a magnificent curling shot from the corner of the box, quickly followed by a quiet finish from Alexis Saelemaekers who capped a quick counter-attack, putting Roma two goals ahead after barely 18 minutes.
Ranieri’s impeccable derby record now stands at five wins in five games in charge of Roma, a remarkable achievement as he becomes their third manager this season, following the dismissals of Daniele De Rossi and Ivan Juric. His previous derby victories date back to his first spell at the club from 2009 to 2011, as well as a brief return in 2019.
However, Ranieri’s accolades don’t stop there; he also achieved victories in major derbies in Milan, Turin and Genoa while managing powerhouse teams such as Inter Milan, Juventus and Sampdoria.
Remembered primarily for his incredible achievement which led Leicester to their Premier League title in 2016, Ranieri has often been the subject of criticism in England, receiving the nickname “Tinkerman” due to his tendency to make frequent changes of direction. team.
-Last season, Ranieri performed miracles in steering Cagliari away from relegation and had initially promised it would be his last venture as manager. However, when Roma approached him to restore stability in November, he could not resist the call. After this season, his contract stipulates a promotion to an executive position, where he will have a role in selecting the club’s next head coach.
After Sunday’s victory, Roma now find themselves in 10th place in Serie A, with three wins in their last five matches. Meanwhile, Lazio remain firmly planted in fourth place.
Pellegrini, who had been under increasing pressure from fans throughout the season, finally offered a moment of relief with his perfectly timed shot.
In a disturbing incident before kick-off, a vehicle was enveloped in flames outside the Stadio Olimpico after being hit by fireworks, as rival factions tried to get closer to each other.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Cagliari came back from being behind and won 2-1 at bottom Monza, thanks to goals from Nadir Zortea and Roberto Piccoli.
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