Roma is preparing for the Derby against Lazio and Claudio Ranieri has a surprise move ready, it is the key to winning the stracittadina
Roma, accadrà nel Derby: mossa a sorpresa di Ranieri (Ansa Foto) – SerieAnews
Derby di Roma, act two. It’s not just a match: it’s a crossroads for Europe, a challenge that weighs double in terms of standings and city pride. Ranieri’s Roma and Baroni’s Lazio are playing for much more than three points: up for grabs is a piece of the Champions League, but also supremacy in the capital, at least until the next crossroads.
Both must respond in attendance after the successes of Juventus and Atalanta, which extended the pace. The Giallorossi come to the match after the draw against the Bianconeri, but they bring with them a streak of convincing performances that makes them, to date, among the league’s most in-form teams. And because of this, Ranieri ponders a surprise move to overturn the odds.
Pellegrini scalpita: pronto al ritorno da titolare
It has not been an easy period for Lorenzo Pellegrini. After the derby first leg, his season suffered a setback between technical choices and physical problems. His calf injury has slowed him down, forcing him to miss key matches, such as the doubleheader with Athletic in the Europa League and the challenge with Juventus.
Pellegrini scalpita: pronto al ritorno da titolare (Ansa Foto) – SerieAnews
But now the Giallorossi captain is ready to take back his place. In recent training sessions he has been seen on the rise, so much so that he has been tried out by Ranieri as the starting trequartista, behind Dovbyk, with Soulé or Saelemaekers flanking him. The coach, true to his style, will decide only after the match. In the conference he dribbled the question with a smile: “I won’t tell you if he plays.” But the feeling is that Roma’s heart may be pounding again right from the first minute.
Il futuro in bilico: sarà l’ultimo derby?
Seven games, perhaps the last with this jersey. Pellegrini’s fate at Roma is far from written. His contract expires in 2026, but to date there have been no concrete contacts for a renewal. The feeling is that at the end of the season, the bottom line will be drawn.
Inter Milan and Napoli had thought of him in January, and they may come around again. Simone Inzaghi likes him a lot, but it will be necessary to lower demands on the salary. Shy interest from AC Milan, which could talk about him with Roma as part of Saelemaekers future. Pellegrini, for his part, has already turned down offers from the Saudi League last summer. But the truth is that everything will depend on him, as Ranieri pointed out, “Will he stay? It depends on Lorenzo.”
Pellegrini e il derby: una storia speciale
If there is one player who feels the Rome Derby on his skin, it is Lorenzo Pellegrini. With three career goals scored against Lazio-one more beautiful than the other-he is now something of an amulet for Giallorossi fans. He scored the first one in 2018, by heel, in one of his most iconic plays.
Then came the perfect penalty in 2022 and finally the most recent seal, in January. Now he is aiming for a personal poker, to join the likes of Bernardino, Costantino and Vucinic in the derby’s historic scorers list. Ranieri knows this: if there is a match in which Pellegrini can make the difference, this is it.
Because in derbies you need not only legs and tactics, but also heart, soul and that pinch of madness that only those who grew up in Trigoria can bring to the field. Last dance? Maybe. But however it goes, it will be center stage.
This article Roma, will happen in Derby: Ranieri’s surprise move appeared in its original version first on SerieANews.
