In a stunning turn of events, Jose Mourinho has been given the boot as Roma’s head honcho, and the reins have been handed over to the club’s ex-captain, Daniele de Rossi. The 60-year-old Mourinho, who took charge in May 2021, led Roma to Europa Conference League glory in 2022 and the Europa League final in 2023. However, the team currently languishes in ninth place in Serie A, trailing five points behind Champions League qualification, and recent disappointments include a Coppa Italia ousting by city rivals Lazio.

Enter De Rossi, the 40-year-old club legend, who played a whopping 616 times for Roma between 2001 and 2019. Retiring in 2020, De Rossi has already had a taste of management during a brief stint at Serie B club SPAL, and now he’s back to guide Roma until the season’s end.

Roma’s owners, Dan and Ryan Friedkin, expressed confidence in De Rossi’s leadership and ambition, emphasising his strong bond with the club. De Rossi, who won the World Cup with Italy in 2006, shared his indescribable emotion at taking the managerial helm. He declared, “Being competitive, fighting for our goals, and trying to achieve them are the only priorities that my staff and I have given ourselves.”

The timing of De Rossi’s appointment, just four hours after Mourinho’s dismissal, raised eyebrows, but the Friedkins thanked Mourinho for his passion and commitment. They noted, “We will always have great memories of his stewardship, but we believe that, in the best interests of the club, immediate change is necessary.”

Mourinho’s departure comes on the heels of a second consecutive red card in a loss to Lazio, where he amusingly likened himself to Harry Potter, suggesting that his profile was setting lofty expectations for Roma. The final straw was a 3-1 defeat against AC Milan, leaving Roma trailing five points behind fourth-placed Fiorentina.

Despite the glory of securing Roma’s first major European title in the 2022 Conference League, Mourinho faced criticism after the Europa League final loss to Sevilla. The current season got off to a rocky start with just five points from the initial six Serie A matches, and Mourinho, whose contract was set to expire at the season’s end, had reportedly rejected tempting offers to leave last summer.

With the managerial saga unfolding, all eyes are now on De Rossi as he steps into the spotlight, aiming to revive Roma’s fortunes.”