The owners of the 'Roma' club, the Friedkin family, have dreamed of seeing their team in the UEFA Champions League for many years. In 2021, this goal led to the appointment of the famous specialist Jose Mourinho as the head coach of the club. However, despite three years of efforts, the Portuguese coach was unable to fulfill this task, explaining the situation with the phrase "I am not the wizard Harry Potter."
This season, 73-year-old Claudio Ranieri, who took on the task of overcoming the crisis at 'Roma', proved that it is possible to achieve this without major transfers or a magic wand.
In particular, the rediscovery of two players – Matias Sule and Eldor Shomurodov – has surprised many. These two players were considered unnecessary by the club's management and previous coaches.
Despite the injury of star player Paulo Dybala and the decline in the performance level of striker Artem Dovbik, it is precisely Shomurodov and Sule's brilliant performances that are bringing important points to the Romans.
After Sule joined the team in the summer, he initially struggled to break into the starting lineup, but Ranieri saw his potential and placed his trust in him. The Argentine player has scored 3 goals and provided 2 assists to Shomurodov in the last 9 matches.
Shomurodov, although he considered leaving twice during the season, became the team's main striker thanks to the confidence of the Italian coach. Ranieri had also worked with Eldor at 'Cagliari' last year and rated his abilities highly. This season, the Uzbek player has made a significant contribution to the team with 7 goals and 3 assists.
Experts note that the tandem of Shomurodov and Sule has brought important points to the team with 4 goals and 1 assist in the last 6 matches. In particular, the results against 'Empoli', 'Lazio', 'Juventus', and 'Verona' were credited to their account.
Now 'Roma' is preparing for an important match against 'Inter', who are fighting for the championship. Last season, Shomurodov scored against the Milan team while playing for 'Cagliari', denying them victory. This time, Ranieri is hopeful for Sule and Shomurodov in the match against 'Inter'.
The 'Inter' – 'Roma' match will start on April 27 at 18:00 Tashkent time.
