Yahoo Sports Totti feels De Rossi risks ending up like Mourinho at Roma
Roma legend Francesco Totti believes Daniele De Rossi risks ending up like José Mourinho if Roma don’t fight for a Champions League spot this season: ‘He’s aware of it.’
Totti warns his friend and former teammate Daniele De Rossi that he could be sacked by Roma like his predecessor Mourinho if the Giallorossi won’t be involved in the race for the top four in Serie A this season.
“Considering the summer’s crazy investments, they must qualify for the Champions League. If you invest €100m and don’t get there, it’s a total failure,” Totti said in a fresh interview with Il Messaggero newspaper, as quoted by Calciomercato.com.
“Without [fighting for] the Champions League, De Rossi will go earlier; he won’t get until the end.
Totti feels De Rossi risks ending up like Mourinho at Roma
“First of all, Daniele must make himself respected. He must talk to his staff members and people close to him, those who can help him and try to make him understand the errors. Daniele has a strong group, and I hope he’ll make it because he knows the environment well.”
Roma made several big signings this summer, including Matias Soulé from Juventus for circa €30m and Artem Dovbyk from Girona for an even higher fee.
Totti had said in an interview with Sky Sport Italia on Wednesday that he wasn’t entirely convinced by Roma’s transfer activity.
“Daniele is the lightning rod, and he’s the one who would pay, but I repeat that, luckily, he knows everyone and everything,” he continued in his latest interview with Il Messaggero.
Does it mean that he could end up like Mourinho?
“Certainly, even if, right now, he’s the only one who can be the Roma coach,” argued the former Giallorossi captain.
“We go back to the same issue. If there’s a strong club that is publicly clear about the objectives, then it’s all right because the fans know everything. But if things don’t go well, all the blame will be on Daniele.
“It’s exactly what happened to Mourinho. José put his face on it, but nobody helped him or talked to him. If you don’t bring results, you become the scapegoat, but Daniele is aware of this.”
Roma have collected two points in the opening three Serie A matches, drawing against Cagliari and Juventus and losing to Empoli at the Stadio Olimpico.
Their next match is against Genoa at Marassi on Sunday, September 15.
