Ranieri: ‘Healthy’ Roma camp helped turn miserable season around

ROME, ITALY – FEBRUARY 24: Roma Head coach, Claudio Ranieri looks on during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Monza at Stadio Olimpico on February 24, 2025 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

Claudio Ranieri believes that the positive energy in the Roma camp is one of the main reasons behind their upturn in form in 2025 after what had been a miserable start to the 2024-25 season, but the coach is not getting ahead of himself after a 4-0 win against Monza, as he expects a tough test from Como next time out. 

Roma are still unbeaten in Serie A in 2025, and put in an excellent performance in their 4-0 win over Monza on Sunday night. Alexis Saelemaekers, Eldor Shomurodov, Angelino and Bryan Cristante provided the goals on the night. 

You can see how the action unfolded on the Football Italia Liveblog.

Ranieri: Roma ‘train well, it’s a healthy dressing room’

Discussing the spirit and togetherness among the Roma players, Ranieri gave an example of how Paulo Dybala and Leandro Paredes helped one of their teammates get an extra day off. 

Speaking to Sky Sport at full-time, Ranieri said: “The boys train well, it’s a healthy dressing room. We had a player who asked me for permission to visit his father and I told him no because we had training. Dybala and Paredes came to ask me to give him permission. This means a lot. How can you say no when the group decides.” 

Despite the strong performance against Monza, Ranieri believes that Como and Cesc Fabregas will provide a stern test for the Giallorossi in their next game. Ranieri also made gave a glowing review of Fabregas’s abilities. 

“We’re doing well, but every game is a story in itself. I’m already thinking about Como, they’ve beaten us, they’re full of spirit and they’re playing well. Fabregas will be in the top coaches in Europe in three or four years, I’m convinced of that. 

“My mind has already struck out today’s game and is thinking about the next one.”

Ranieri also explained why he thinks the likes of Matias Soule and Tommaso Baldanzi have improved under his stewardship.  

“I believe it’s the trust I give them. Soule played a great game against Napoli, I’ve always believed in the guy. He came in when it was thought that Dybala ‘had’ to leave. You can see that he has talent. I’ve told him not to worry because he is the future of Roma. 

“You see it with those who have something special about them. He just had to do it slowly, slowly, like Baldanzi last year. 

“Tommaso wasn’t the same as he is this year. He’s a bit further ahead of Matias because you can see him change the pace of the game when he gets on the ball. Sould has to do the same and find Roma’s rhythm. He is finding it.” 

And what does Ranieri find most pleasing about Roma’s recent run of impressive results? 

“Having got the fans back to being proud of the guys is the thing that pleases me the most. You can see now that they shout out for the players, they know that they can trust them and I’m very happy about that. 

“Continuing like this. Como are a tough team, we’ve seen what they can do, so we have to take it game by game. We’ve got going again in the league and we’ll see what happens in the end.”