De Rossi's Genoa Grill Roma 2-1 as Dybala Drama Fails to Derail Contract Hopes
Genoa stunned Roma 2-1 at home, with coach Daniele De Rossi savouring the win against his former club without a hint of apology. Roma director Ricky Massara confirmed Paulo Dybala's meniscus surgery won't impact contract renewal talks, despite a raft of attacking injuries. The Giallorossi face mounting pressure in Serie A and Europa League amid squad rotation woes.
Picture this: you're nursing a pint, scrolling footy news, and Daniele De Rossi, Roma's favourite son turned Genoa gaffer, sticks the boot in against his old club. That's exactly what unfolded at the Luigi Ferraris, where the Grifone nicked a vital 2-1 win over the Giallorossi. Amid Roma's injury apocalypse, it was a right kick in the teeth, but their director Ricky Massara is keeping cool on Paulo Dybala's future.
Massara's No-Nonsense Take on Dybala and the Injury Pile-Up
Roma's attack looks like a hospital ward right now. Paulo Dybala's just gone under the knife for meniscus surgery – out for at least six weeks – joining Evan Ferguson, Matias Soulé, Mario Hermoso, Artem Dovbyk, and suspended Wesley on the sidelines. Massara, chatting to Sky Sport Italia (as reported by Susy Campanale at Football Italia), shrugged it off like a bad VAR call.
"We've got a cluster of knocks up top, but that's footy for you," he reckoned. Young guns like Lorenzo Venturino – handed his first Serie A start against his old loan club Genoa – Robinio Vaz, and Zaragoza are stepping up. El Shaarawy's back in the mix too. And on Dybala's contract? "Injury or not, it changes nowt. We want him firing again pronto."
Critics have moaned about Roma's medics not spotting the meniscus issue sooner – it was brewing for over a month. Massara batted it away: "Conservative treatment first, player's health always comes first." Fair play, but with Europa League Round of 16 vs Bologna looming Thursday, and Como and Juventus breathing down their necks for top four, timing's rotten.
Last week's 3-3 thriller at Juve – blowing a 3-1 lead in stoppage time – still stings. Squad rotation was the name of the game here, but it didn't pan out.
De Rossi Loving Life at Genoa – No Apologies to Old Pals
Enter Daniele De Rossi, Roma legend, World Cup winner, and now Genoa's cheerleader-in-chief. Post-match on DAZN (Lorenzo Bettoni reporting for Football Italia), he didn't mince words: "Three massive points from a proper scrap. My lads earned it – especially the squad players who stepped up."
Beating Roma? "I'm buzzing we won, not gutted they lost. That's the gig." He feels 'at home' at Marassi, with fans that echo the Olimpico's passion – the good, the bad, and the rowdy. De Rossi bigged up his troops, name-checking Masini's rocket assist for Vitinha's goal. "These boys give me more than I give them. Shield 'em in defeats, like vs Inter, and they repay in spades."
Genoa's January recruits have gelled nicely, giving De Rossi options for high-intensity clashes. Table's looking rosy, but he's eyes on the prize: hoping Roma win 38 one day, but today? Genoa's day.
Crunch Time for Roma's Double Chase
For Roma, it's squeaky-bum time. Viktoria Plzen humbled them in Europa League midweek, and now this Genoa slip. Top four's slipping away with Juventus lurking. De Rossi's Genoa, meanwhile, are punching above, proving ex-Roma heroes don't mess about.
Dybala's return can't come soon enough – that magic left foot's irreplaceable. Massara's reassurance is a lifeline, but results must follow. Fancy Genoa gatecrashing Europe? Or Roma rallying? Grab another round; this Serie A's got more twists than a De Rossi free-kick.