How Did Claudio Ranieri Turn Roma Into a Competitive Team? | OneFootball

Few could have foreseen AS Roma becoming a credible challenger for a Champions League spot this season when they were languishing in the bottom half of the standings after 14 rounds of matches this season.

However, Claudio Ranieri’s return to the Rome-based club has completely transformed their season, as the Italian coach has worked the same magic, which saw Leicester defy any crypto sportsbook 5,000/1 odds to win the Premier League.

Ranieri’s love affair with soccer appeared to have come to an end after announcing his retirement at the end of last season, but an urgent SOS from Roma in the winter forced him to cut short his time away from the field, and the challenge was too eye-catching for the coach to turn down.

But, how has Ranieri transformed Roma’s campaign to sit on the verge of Champions League qualification in 2024-25?

Hard To Beat

Ranieri encountered a tough start to life back in Rome after successive defeats against Napoli and Atalanta without scoring, before a third defeat in four was inflicted against Como. However, since then, the Italian side have been showing championship-calibre form.

Since that defeat, Roma have avoided defeat in their last 18 matches, and have dropped points on just five occasions. The five teams that they have dropped points against are teams that Roma typically would have been swatted aside against, which included creditable home draws against Juventus and Napoli.

A sign of the progress that has been made was reflected by an excellent showing against Inter Milan at the San Siro at the end of April, as they defended excellently to secure a 1-0 win against the potential champions in waiting.

Defensive Structure

A structured and disciplined defence has been at the heart of every successful job that Ranieri has done throughout his career, and that has been a trademark of this new-look Roma outfit in the second half of the season.

They have been incredibly difficult to break down in every match, but especially against teams at the top end of the standings. Players working for each other is something that disappeared during the last days of the reins of previous managers, but it could be argued that Ranieri’s tactics are much simpler and straightforward to follow.

Playing in as simple of a defensive approach as possible has been a calling card for Ranieri throughout his career, and his ability to adapt tactics to different opponents also demands respect and leaves rivals second guessing what he is going to do.

A sign of their excellent defensive record in the second half of the season can be found from their xGA, which has seen the Italian side clock up a metric of 30.32 from open play, but they have conceded just 19 goals.

Unlocking Attacking Potential

Jose Mourinho and Danielle De Rossi were conservative in their approaches with Roma, and while Ranieri follows the same blueprint, the Italian club are far more dangerous in the final third in this current season than they have been in previous campaigns.

Swift transitions have enabled Roma’s players to express themselves in the final third. Defensive game plans are still the main objective, as the attacking style will depend on the team that the club are coming up against.

In matches against Inter and Juventus, Roma have played a more counter-attacking style, while in fixtures against sides toward the bottom of the standings, they have played on the front foot to show their dominance. Roma have now scored 35 goals from open play this season, and they should potentially have more based on their xG of 41.12.

In fact, since Ranieri’s arrival, Roma have scored in all but three of the matches that they have played in the league. The only matches that they haven’t scored in all came during his first month in charge where the three defeats were inflicted.

Ranieri to Guide Roma into Europe?

A European finish looks extremely likely for Roma based on their performances in the second half of the season, but a Champions League spot is now the big target in the final month of the season.

The Italian side sits within striking distance of the top four places in the standings, but they have a tricky end to the campaign to navigate with matches against Fiorentina, Atalanta, AC Milan, and Torino set to round off their season. However, their form is the best in Italy. Furthermore, their current unbeaten sequence puts them as the in-form team on the continent.

Roma’s previous best unbeaten sequence also came under Ranieri, as the club avoided defeat in 24 matches in the 2009-10 season. While the Italian manager’s future will see him depart the Stadio Olimpico this summer, he could leave the ultimate parting gift for his eventual successor.