Ranieri: Replacing Juric, ‘fallen’ Roma, correcting mentality and ‘beautiful’ Napoli | OneFootball

Claudio Ranieri has spoken in-depth about the mood surrounding the Roma dressing room ahead of their trip to Napoli in Serie A on Sunday evening, while also giving updates on the likes of Paulo Dybala and Mats Hummels.

Napoli will host Roma in Serie A on Sunday, kicking off at 17.00 GMT. It will be Ranieri’s first game back in charge of the Giallorossi after he replaced Ivan Juric at the beginning of the international break.

Ranieri believes that Napoli are the team of the moment, but insists that both teams will be equally tested upon the return of domestic action this weekend.

“Conte’s Napoli are on form and are doing really well. It will be a beautiful and difficult game, for us and for them,” Ranieri said during his pre-match press conference.

Ranieri provides Roma updates on Dybala and Hummels

Ranieri revealed that Dybala and Hummels have both briefly featured in training this week, but was not able to confirm if either will start against Napoli. For the Argentine, it may take a bit more time before he returns to the starting XI.

“I saw Dybala for the first 20 minutes of today’s session. I need to talk to him and the physio. I don’t know how many sessions he needs before he gets the all clear. Hummels trained with me a few days ago, he makes me calm and able to decide how I want to.”

Mats Hummels in training with Roma (picture via www.asroma.com)

Expanding on Dybala, Ranieri added: “We definitely need to help the guy. We have to understand why he feels pain, even if tests show that there is nothing technically wrong.

“I’ve spoken with him recently, he is proactive. I am one of those who would rather not risk losing a player. We have three games in quick succession, I want to know what he can offer.”

Replacing Juric, ‘fallen’ Roma and correcting mentality

Ranieri was asked about the mentality within the Roma dressing room and what condition his players were in when he took his first training session after replacing Juric earlier in November.

“It’s difficult to say if this team has the right mentality or not. You tend to enter a negative spiral when you lose,” he said. “They have to have faith in themselves and their teammates, get a few results in a row. There is quality, the team is good.

“I have to support them, so does everyone behind them. The fans are the most important thing, the soul of the team. We have to take them along with us with excellent performances. Football is a simple game.”

Ranieri admitted that the Roma players weren’t feeling entirely positive after losing their second coach of the season in Juric.

“If Juric found a sad dressing room, imagine what I saw. That’s why I spoke to the players about the inner child within all of them. I reminded them of how we all used to be. I want them to bring out the dream they had as kids. Ours is a beautiful profession. They have fallen, but only those who fall are able to pick themselves back up again.”

He then thanked the Roma supporters for their continued faith, and implored them to stick by the team through the tough times.

Claudio Ranieri swarmed by journalists and Roma supporters after arriving in the capital before his appointment as head coach of AS Roma. (picture: @AliprandiJacopo via X)

“I thank the fans for their trust and for their displays of affection, thank you. I’ve always had pressure, otherwise I wouldn’t have chosen to come back. The team needs everyone, we have to get back to doing what we do best, winning.

“You don’t need a wizard,” he concluded, after being asked if he saw himself as Roma’s ‘Harry Potter’.