De Rossi Eyes Historic Season

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The Giallorossi have been playing second fiddle to Inter over the last couple of years.

Scudetto success is what everyone is craving in Rome and it seems none more so than De Rossi.

I Lupi last tasted Tricolore triumphs in 2001 and the midfielder is hoping they can win it this season as he hopes for a memorable campaign.

“Our most important objectives are to stay at the levels we showed last season,” De Rossi told La Roma.

“We will also try to do something extra this time and we want achieve something immense and historical.”

Roma just missed out on the Scudetto last season after a memorable fight-back which saw the Serie A championship decided on the last day of the season.

The Giallorossi will need to bring in some reinforcements if they are to challenge for the Scudetto. So far they haven’t really signed any muscle up front.

Salvatore Landolina

English Interest In Ferrari

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Matteo Ferrari is a free agent, and if his manager Gianni Corci is to be believed, he could soon be on the books of any one of the many clubs throughout Europe and Italy that are after his services.

Corci put a dampener on the hopes of any foreign clubs however, stating that the player would prefer to stay in Italy. The players representative said, “If we wanted to leave and go to England, Spain or Greece we would have already done that,” going on to add, “There is a club in the Premiership that has been waiting for his (Ferrari) choice.”

The 28 year old former Roma defender has been linked with West Ham United in England, as well as Inter Milan in Italy following a mass injury crisis involving the nerazzurri defence.

Calming the fears of those that think Ferrari may be losing form due to his unresolved future, Corci said, ”Matteo is training in the meanwhile with his personal trainer, waiting for news from me.”

Matteo Ferrari's transfer saga seems to have some way to go still before it is put to bed, but his agent seemed calm and patiently said, “There is nothing new on the matter, we are still at the same point, waiting.”

The agent was relaxed over his clients future, but with the Serie A season creeping up on us, it remains to be seen whether Matteo Ferrari shared his calm and tranquility.

Peter Pedroncelli

Roma Back For Baptista After Madrid Signing

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The Italian giants are keen to sign the powerful Brazilian and lodged a bid of €15m last month, but saw the offer turned down despite the player making it clear he fancies the switch.

Now that Madrid have made their first major summer signing, however, the media in Italy believe that it is only a matter of time before Baptista dons a Giallorossi shirt.

Baptista was told at the end of last season tat if the club received a suitable offer then it would be considered, but coach Bernd Schuster has not wanted anyone to leave until now.

With the focus being solely on the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo, Madrid have wanted to ensure that a deal was done with Manchester United before attending to other business.

The signing of the Portuguese star now appears highly unlikely and the move for Van der Vaart has signalled a shift in Los Merengues' attitude.

Reports state that Cicinho believes that his compatriot and former Madrid team-mate, Baptista, will soon be joining him in the Eternal City now that the market is moving again.

Lucas Brown, Goal.com

Materazzi Full Of Praise For Scudetto Rivals

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The giant stopper is currently in the treatment room after he picked up an injury during the Trofeo TIM last week.

His words have always caused controversy in the past. However, Materazzi was a little gentler, when talking about his Scudetto rivals this time round.

“There are four great teams after Inter,” Materazzi told LeButeur.

“Roma, thanks to a great player in Francesco Totti.

“Milan, they have the best midfield in Serie A.

“Fiorentina are also great thanks to the work of Cesare Prandelli and finally there is Juventus, always competitive and solid.”

The surprise team in that list is Milan given the rivalry between the two clubs.

Matrix will now be hoping to make a speedy recovery as his side prepare to defend their Scudetto crown next term.

Itner take on Bayern Munich on Tuesday night but Materazzi is a definte doubt as well as Ivan Cordoba, Walter Samuel, Nelson Rivas and Cristian Chivu, who are all missing through injury.

Salvatore Landolina

We Need To Sign Players - Spalletti

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The Giallorossi have been trying hard to bring in new players but, so far, they have not enjoyed any success.

Time is running out for the bald-headed coach as the transfer deadline is less than a month away.

Spalletti believes that two players are needed, a midfielder and a striker.

“We have the same squad as last year. Therefore we have our good qualities and also some imperfections,” Spalletti told La Gazzetta Dello Sport.

“We need to bring in to players to complete the numbers and to limit those imperfections.

“A striker? The team will then be complete. However, if Taddei is missing I will be in difficulty.”

The Olimpico based side have been linked with a number of players including Julio Baptista, Samuel Eto’o and David Silva. However, all three players seem impossible targets as the club doesn’t seem willing to pay their high wage demands.

Salvatore Landolina

Roma? Why Not, Says Benayoun's Agent

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Katzav spoke about the possibility that Benayoun could join the Giallorossi following the transfer speculation linking him to the capital city side in recent weeks.

"Benayoun is happy in England," explained the player's agent to Radio Radio TV. "If Roma contacts Liverpool, we could evaluate the possibility.

"Roma is a great club, but there was no contact so far. My client is fine where he is, but you never know.

"Liverpool is happy with Yossi and at the moment there are no requests. Obviously, if Liverpool decide to sell him, Roma is a great club and would be a solution he would welcome. Even Italian football is important."

In his first season with the Reds, Benayoun made 30 appearances for the club, scoring four goals for his side.

Glenn Debattista

Spalletti Still Wants Malouda

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The ex-Lyon winger has been subject of transfer overtures from the Serie A runners-up during this window, as they seek to add a replacement for Mancini, now of Internazionale.

Roma are determined to bolster their attacking options this summer, with Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Julio Baptista also mentioned as proposed targets.

However, Malouda has seemingly been given a new lease of life under Luiz Felipe Scolari at Chelsea, after the Brazilian coach criticised predecessors Jose Mourinho and Avram Grant for utilising the winger incorrectly.

The French international’s future could still lie at Stamford Bridge but the Premier League club are keen to reduce their first-team squad numbers. In the event of a Roma bid for Malouda, the London club could sell.

Spalletti has ruled out bids for the potentially expensive David Silva of Valencia and the incompatible Lukas Podolski of Bayern Munich, but insisted that his club had identified definitive transfer targets.

He told the press: "We are looking for someone very physical who can play as a wide striker. Everyone likes David Silva, but he is too expensive. Lukas Podolski is an excellent player, but would not fit into our style of play.

"Florent Malouda and Julio Baptista would be good choices, but their future depends on how other transfer deals go."

Panucci Wants To End Career At Roma - Agent

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Panucci's contract will expire in 2009, exactly a year from now, but Damiani insisted that the player wants to extend the deal in order end his career with the Giallorossi after already spending seven seasons in the Italian capital city.

"Christian wants to end his career with the Giallorossi," revealed his agent to Romaanews.eu.

"For the extension of the contract we shall see in the coming weeks, but right now there is nothing new."

Since 2001, Panucci has played 207 games for Roma, scoring 17 goals in the process. He was also very active on the international scene with the Italian national team, as he represented his country 57 times and scored 4 goals.

Glenn Debattista

Spalletti Content Following Monaco Draw

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The Giallorossi were the better side on the night in what turned out to be a dull affair with cahnces few and far between.

Mirko Vucinic and Vincenzo Montella came close on a couple of occasions but they just couldn’t find the break through.

Spalletti is pleased with what he saw from his side and he was full of praise for Vucinic, the former Lecce hit-man was superb.

“We played a good game and I like the way we held our own physically,” Spalletti told Roma channel after the game.

“Vucinic? He was involved in some excellent play. Montella? I spoke to him about the way he missed when Vucinic played him in.
“Nevertheless I am pleased.”

Overall the Italian side were good on the night but their lack of match fitness showed.

It's still early days for Roma but they will need to improve if they are to challenge Inter for the Italian Supercup on August 22.

Salvatore Landolina

Roma Fail To Score In Monaco Stalemate

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The first half was a rather drab affair with neither side finding their rhythm.

Roma huffed and puffed but they had to wait almost forty minutes for a real chance to get their noses in front.

On 39 minutes it was De Rossi who found Vucinic with a sublime through ball. It was a one on one chance for the striker from Niksic but he couldn’t find the net as his left foot drive whizzed past the post.

The first half fizzled out and it was the Italian side who came out fighting in the second half.

Vucinic turned provider this time and he fed Vincenzo Montella gracefully on the hour mark, but the former Sampdoria hit-man scuffed his effort.

Roma did enjoy the better of the game but a combination of poor finishing and, perhaps, a lack of match fitness saw the affair end without a goal.

John Arne Riise was excellent at the back with De Rossi and Vucinic arguably the best players on the night.

Teams:

AS Monaco FC :

Ruffier (Roma, 46) - Mongongu, Adriano (Lolo, 66), Modesto Cufré (Muratori, 66) - Perez (Zola, 46), Gosso (Alonso, 66), Leko (Pokrivac, 77), Meriem (Ménez, 77) - Pino (Diaz, 81), Nimani (Licata, 66).

AS Roma :

Artur - Cicinho (Brosco, 90), Juan (Loria, 46), Mexès (Andreolli, 66e), Riise (Tonetto, 46) - Pizarro (Virga, 66), De Rossi Alvarez (Brighi, 46), Perrotta (Okaka, 46) - Montella (Della Penna, 66), Vucinic (Palermo, 77).

Salvatore Landolina