Roma secured a 2-0 victory over local rivals Lazio on Sunday, marking Claudio Ranieri’s most significant win since he returned to manage his childhood club for the third time.
Lorenzo Pellegrini and Alexis Saelemaekers scored within an eight-minute span in the first half, providing Roma with the necessary points in a tense atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
With this victory, Ranieri’s team has climbed to 10th place with 23 points, still trailing Lazio by 12 points, who occupy the final Champions League position. However, Roma now enjoys a comfortable gap from the relegation zone.
There is a six-point difference between Roma and Lecce, who are just above the relegation zone and played to a 0-0 draw against Genoa earlier on Sunday. Ranieri is gradually steering the capital club back on course.
“It’s wonderful to bring joy to these fans,” stated defender Gianluca Mancini, who conducted his post-match interview wearing a long coat after giving his shorts and shirt to enthusiastic supporters.
“Derbies are always unique encounters, but we must remember that it is just three points; it is not as if we have won the league.”
When Ranieri took over as the third coach of the season in November, Roma was in such turmoil that relegation seemed a real threat.
However, following a promising draw against AC Milan last weekend, Sunday’s performance further indicated that a talented squad is beginning to find its rhythm, marking the 73-year-old’s fifth consecutive victory against Lazio.
Despite the win, Roma faced challenges in the second half, spending much of the time defending as Lazio intensified their efforts to regain control of the match.
