The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Roma

  • Roma boss tables N103million for fountain retouch

     

    Roma owner James Pallotta who partied all night following the club’s triumph over Barcelona on Tuesday, has placed €230,000 about (N103million) on the table to fix a fountain he dived into shortly after the final whistle in celebration of what turned out to the biggest surprise of the night.

    Pallotta went for a dip in the Rome’s Pizza del popolo fountain on the spur of the moment.  Although there was no reported serious damage to the fountain, an elated Pallotta nonetheless decided to dole out the money to renovate the fountain in what could pass for an indelible way of recording the day Barcelona came saw and crashe

    The Roma President was overcome with joy as his club beat Barcelona 3-0 to progress to the Champions League semi-finals on away goals following a 4-4 aggregate draw.

    The 60-year-old American businessman jumped into one of the city’s fountains as he celebrated long into the night with fans.

    On Wednesday, Pallotta discussed plans for a new stadium with Rome’s mayor Virginia Raggi, before taking the unusual step of donating a large sum to renovate the fountain.

    “I want to thank the mayor for my well-deserved fountain fine of €450,” Pallotta joked.

    “I got caught up in the excitement; it was a great night for all of us in Rome. But I also don’t want to encourage other people to jump into fountains, except if they want to fix one.

    “So I’ve decided that I think it would be a great personal gesture to fix the fountain in front of the pantheon, and so I’m going to donate €230,000 to it.

    “As I said, trying not to encourage people… love this city, and if you do want to jump in then fix the fountain.”

    This is only the second time that Roma have reached the semi-finals of the Champions League. Ahead of the highly anticipated draw on Friday, Pallotta says he doesn’t mind who Roma draw next, and that fans should simply enjoy the journey.

    He added: “I really don’t care who we play. I think we can play against anybody, certainly with what we showed yesterday.

    “So we’ll draw who we draw on Friday. I’m just looking forward to a couple more games, and I hope everyone in Rome is too. It’s a nice little ride.”

     

  • Roma upset Barcelona, Liverpool demolish City

    Roma staged a stunning comeback from 1-4 in the first leg of the UEFA Champions quarter final pairing with Barcelona to beat the former champions and the Spanish leaders 3-0 and qualify for the semi-finals on goals aggregate.

    Bosnia’s Edin Dzeko started Roma revival in the 6th minute and in the second half, De Rossi scored via a penalty and Manolas completed the coup de grace with a stunning header in the 82nd minute.

    The unexpected turnaround turned the fans at Stadio Olimpico into wild jubilation.

    Liverpool at Etihad Stadium completed their demolition of Manchester City, cruising to the semi-finals on 5-1 goal aggregate, after surviving a nightmarish first half, in which City scored their only goal in two minutes.

    The victory marked the first time since 2008 that Liverpool would qualify for the semi-final of the competition.

  • UCL: Man United, Juventus, Roma, Basel qualify, Atletico eliminated

    UCL: Man United, Juventus, Roma, Basel qualify, Atletico eliminated

    Manchester United were one of four clubs to secure qualification for the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League ( UCL ) in the final round of group games on Tuesday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford scored as United defeated CSKA Moscow 2-1 and finished top of Group A, while Swiss champions Basel won 2-0 away at Benfica to join them in going through.

    A contentious goal awarded to Vitinho gave CSKA a shock lead on half-time, but Lukaku and Rashford struck twice in two second-half minutes to send Jose Mourinho’s side into the last 16 as Group A winners.

    Italian champions Juventus qualified from Group D after a 2-0 victory against Olympiakos in Greece, and Roma are through from Group C thanks to a 1-0 win at home to Qarabag.

    Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid were eliminated from the Champions League after a 1-1 draw at Chelsea that denied the English side top spot in Group C.

    It was a depressing evening for both clubs at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday as neither got what they wanted from their final group fixture.

    Atletico had to win to have a chance of advancing, but although Saul Niguez’s second-half header put the visitors ahead, Chelsea drew level through a Stefan Savic own goal.

    In the end, Roma’s win against Qarabag in the other group match made the result irrelevant for Diego Simeone’s team, who failed to qualify for the last 16 for only the second time and the first since the 2009-10 season.

    It was a painful moment for Atletico and, after finishing as Champions League runners-up in 2014 and 2016, they are now consigned to the Europa League.

    “It’s part of football. It hurts but there are no excuses. The responsibility is ours,” Simeone said.

    “This can be a new challenge. Everything bad we can make into a positive.”
    Chelsea were already through to the knockout stages, but blew their chance to finish in first place and in theory earn an easier draw.

    Having lost and drawn against Roma, Chelsea finished second behind the Italians due to their inferior head-to-head record. (NAN)

  • Not Playing with Ronaldo the only Regret – Totti

    Not Playing with Ronaldo the only Regret – Totti

    Former Roma Captain, Francesco Totti has revealed that not playing together with Ronaldo De Lima remains the only regret of his career.

    The 41-year-old hung up his boots in May – putting an end to 25-year playing career with boy hood club, Roma.

    Totti, who hold some tinge of sadness for not playing with the former Real Madrid and Inter Milan striker believes that he would have made Ronaldo a better player.

    According to the former Roma Captain, Ronaldo Delima would have scored more goals if they had played together.

    Totti, as quoted by as.com: “That would have been a dream for both of us. He scored a lot of goals but with me playing just behind him, I’m sure he would have scored a lot more”,

    “I’ve always said it – the only thing I regret about my career was not having got to play with Ronaldo.

    The former Italy international also described Italy, who are four time Champions of the World Cup absence from the next year’s mundial as a ‘Shock’ to the footballing world and said to watch the mundial next year would be strange.

    He added, “Like every other Italian, I never thought for a second that we might not get through the qualifying rounds.

    “It was a big shock to the world of football. Watching the World Cup on television is going to be very strange.”

    Totti on Ronaldo, Messi and Federeer

    Totti said that out of current stars he prefers Lionel Messi to Cristiano Ronaldo, and singled out tennis champion Roger Federer as his sporting hero, who “does not even sweat when he plays.”

     

  • I almost lost sanity after retirement – Totti

    I almost lost sanity after retirement – Totti

    Former Italy striker Francesco Totti on Thursday said accepting the end of a legendary footballing career was tough.

    He told newsmen that “at the beginning, I was talking to myself like a madman, I’m injured, I’m suspended, I’ll be back in a kit soon, though I’ve got used to it now.”

    Totti said he struggled with switching off from a routine of “waking up early, having breakfast and then going to training, like a machine.

    “Now I have to plan my days. The impact has not been easy, though I still train every day to let off a bit of steam and to stay fit.

    “If I let myself go, I’ll go up to 300 kilogrammes, for now, I’ve put on at most a couple.”

    The 41-year-old hung up his boots in May, breaking down in tears after a 3-2 home win against Genoa that sealed his 25-year playing career with Roma, his boyhood club.

    Read also:  Pallotta – Totti to be technical director

    He has no regrets at turning down offers from Real Madrid, the Emirates and the United States.

    “I would have made lots of money, but I would have ruined a 25-year-old love affair with Roma,’’ he said.

    Totti said that out of current stars he prefers Lionel Messi to Cristiano Ronaldo, and singled out tennis champion Roger Federer as his sporting hero, who “does not even sweat when he plays.”

    If Roma, currently in fourth position, do not win the league this season, Totti said he fancied Serie A leaders Napoli, because he liked the idea of the Scudetto going to a southern Italian club.

    He also said that starting out a new career as a coach was not a “priority now,” aside from following the football career of his 12-year-old son, Cristian.

    “I let him do his thing and I don’t say anything to him. In about three or four years, I’ll see what he’s truly made of,’’ Totti said.

    NAN

  • Chelsea Beats Qarabag 4-0, Reaches Champions League last 16

    Chelsea Beats Qarabag 4-0, Reaches Champions League last 16

    Willian scored twice in a 4-0 victory over 10-man Qarabag in the Wednesday UEFA Champions League.

    The win assured Chelsea of a top-two finish in Group C and left the 2012 European champion with a two-point lead over Roma, which plays Atletico Madrid later.

    The match turned on the 19th-minute sending-off of Qarabag defender Rashad F. Sadygov, who received a straight red card for tugging back Willian just inside the area as the Chelsea forward ran onto Eden Hazard’s pass.

    Hazard, who started as the lone striker with Alvaro Morata on the bench, stroked home the penalty for a sixth goal in his last seven games since returning from a broken ankle.

    The Belgium international turned provider in Chelsea’s well-worked team goal in the 36th minute, back-heeling the ball into the path of Willian as part of a one-two to allow the Brazilian to side-foot a finish into the bottom corner.

    There was little chance of Qarabag, the first Azeri team to reach the group stage of the Champions League, stopping Chelsea from becoming the seventh club into the last 16. And it was a damage-limitation exercise for the hosts thereafter.

    That suited Chelsea, which eased off in view of its tough-looking trip to Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday. Chelsea manager Antonio Conte even had the luxury of substituting left wing back Marcos Alonso and Hazard around the hour mark.

    That meant Hazard was off the field when Chelsea was awarded a second penalty, for a tug on Willian by Gara Garayev. Cesc Fabregas tucked his spot kick away, only for it to be ruled out for encroachment, but the midfielder converted at the second attempt, too.

    Willian made the victory even more emphatic by driving home a low finish from 25 meters in the 85th, taking Chelsea’s tally of goals against Qarabag in the group stage to 10. The English team won 6-0 at Stamford Bridge in September.

    Qarabag was used to playing with 10 men, having had players sent off in each of its last two Champions League outings — impressive draws home and away to Atletico.

    The home side, which had given Chelsea an early scare by hitting the crossbar through Michel in the 13th minute, has two points from its five games and cannot advance.

    Chelsea joined Tottenham, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Besiktas, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich in the knockout stage.

  • Totti’s final Roma shirt launched in space

    Totti’s final Roma shirt launched in space

     

    Despite Francesco Totti receiving an emotional farewell by Roma back in May, the club went beyond the realms of imagination to honour their former player once again.

    On Tuesday, history was made as Totti’s final Roma shirt was launched successfully into space.

    The iconic No 10 shirt was worn by the Roma legend in the club’s last match of the Serie A campaign on May 28 against Genoa.

    Following the game, which Roma won 3-2 at the Stadio Olimpico, the Italian outfit suggested sending a replica version of his jersey into space.

    The 40-year-old, who spent his entire 24-year playing career with Roma, agreed to the idea before it eventually came to fruition through Avio, a worldwide leader in the field of space travel.

    The flight plans were prepared in Italy and on Tuesday night, the rocket ‘Vega’, carrying the famous shirt, was launched from French Guyana.

    Totti scored 307 goals in a staggering 786 games for the Italian giants during his long career with the club.

    In the middle of July, the Italian icon confirmed he will become a director at Roma after ending his playing career at his boyhood club.

    The club’s video shows the process taken to launch the jersey that he wore against Genoa

  • Maicon wants Roma stay

    Roma full-back Maicon has signalled his intent to secure a long-term future at the club following the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup.

    The full-back was part of the Brazil team that suffered a humiliating 7-1 defeat at the hands of Germany in the semi-finals, before losing 3-0 to the Netherlands in the third-place play-off.

    However, Maicon, whose Roma contract is set to expire next year, is keen to put that disappointment behind him and put pen to paper on a new deal.

    “The road is the right one, as has been seen in the past season,” he is quoted as telling Gazzetta dello Sport. “Now it is too early to talk about the Scudetto, but I see that we are buying players and they all seem good, let’s move forward and see.

    “Certainly I do not want to leave Roma. Indeed, the first thing I’m going to do now the World Cup is finished will be to call [director of football Walter] Sabatini – I want to renew right away – I am not thinking of leaving.”

    One new arrival at the Stadio Olimpico is former Barcelona and Valencia midfielder Seydou Keita, who signed a one-year deal in June following his release by Valencia.

  • Roma welcomes Cole

    Ashley Cole appears set to sign for Roma after the Serie A club welcomed the former England left-back’s arrival in Italy on Monday.

    Cole is a free agent after his contract with Chelsea expired and had been heavily linked with a move to the Stadio Olimpico in recent days.

    The 33-year-old now seems to be on the verge of completing that switch, after Roma posted a picture on their official Twitter account announcing Cole’s arrival.

    An image of Cole was accompanied by the message: “Welcome to Rome, Ashley!”

    Cole announced his retirement from international football in May after missing out on a place in Roy Hodgson’s England squad for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

    A veteran of 107 caps, he claimed eight major honours during his time at Chelsea, including the 2011-12 UEFA Champions League.

    In addition to winning three Premier League titles, two with Arsenal and one with Chelsea, Cole has also won the FA Cup on seven occasions.

    However, he fell out of favour under Jose Mourinho last season, making just 15 Premier League starts as Cesar Azpilicueta emerged as Chelsea’s first-choice left-back.

  • Roma open talks with QPR’s goalkeeper Júlio César – report

    Queens Park Rangers’ goalkeeper Júlio César has reportedly opened talks with Serie A side Roma.

    The Brazil international, who has played all three games at the Confederations Cup, has been a target for several clubs since QPR’s Premier League relegation was confirmed, including Arsenal and Milan.

    But Roma look to have moved to the front of the queue as they have opened official negotiations with the 33-year-old, according to the Mirror.

    New Roma coach Rudi Garcia is keen to bring the former Inter Milan stopper back to Italy and César is expected to enter in discussions over a move next week.

    Following Brazil’s 4-2 win over Italy on Saturday, César admitted he knows of the interest from the Giallorossi and is “happy” to have attracted their attention, as reported on Football Italia.

    He told Rai Sport: “I do hear news every now and then, so I am happy about that interest. After everything that happened at Inter, my career has changed a great deal.

    “I thank QPR, who were the only club who wanted me. They gave me a great opportunity and I am still in the Seleçao thanks to them.”