In less than a month, Feyenoord will face AS Roma in the interim round of the Europa League. The coming weeks will be extra interesting for Arne Slot to analyze the team from Italy, because this week José Mourinho was fired with a bag of money and the same day the Portuguese was replaced by club legend Daniele de Rossi.
In the period between 2002 and 2019, the midfielder played a total of 616 games for AS Roma and won three trophies in all those seasons. De Rossi also became world champion in 2006 with the Italian national team. Now the 40-year-old Italian is starting his second job as a trainer, after previously being in charge of Serie C club SPAL for seventeen games. While a large part of Het Legioen was joyful about Mourinho’s dismissal, Dennis te Kloese believes that it was more beneficial for his club to meet the Portuguese trainer.
“It’s emotional,” de Rossi begins on the Romans’ club channel. “Because I recognize all the places and see again all the faces that were with me in such an important part of my life.” De Rossi is particularly looking forward to the upcoming period, which also includes the two matches with Feyenoord. “I am convinced of the team. This is a strong team with top players. Even the best teams in the world sometimes struggle.”
“Despite the results, the form of the team and the ranking in the rankings, the stadium will be like that of AS Roma – Barcelona,” De Rossi refers to the spectacular comeback in the Champions League a few years ago in Rome. The midfielder was also important with a goal. “We need the fans, just like when I was a player. I expect there will be difficult moments, but this city and club can quickly get out of situations like this.”
