Former Roma coach Fabio Capello has delivered a scathing assessment of his old club’s current state, describing them as a team “from Cinecittà” – a reference to Rome’s famous film studios. Capello’s critique comes in the wake of Roma’s recent performance against Inter Milan.
“On Sunday, I saw an Inter that conceded little. Roma would reach the final third but then fail to penetrate. They couldn’t even capitalize on corners and free kicks, which are usually their strong points,” Capello observed in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport.
When asked why the team isn’t performing to its potential, Capello pointed to the shock of De Rossi’s dismissal. “What was built with him has been lost. Juric has asked for different things, and the group hasn’t yet absorbed this new way of playing. Roma doesn’t deserve their current league position, but certainly, you don’t see a team yet, beyond individual performances. The only one who performed at a high level was Dybala: with 3-4 vertical passes, he put Inter in difficulty.”
Capello praised Dybala’s work rate, noting, “I saw him run, come back. An example. And it wasn’t easy against Inter, not surprisingly the strongest team in Italy.”
Regarding the challenge of managing three similar attacking midfielders like Dybala, Soulé, and Baldanzi, Capello emphasized the need for commitment and extra effort. However, he reiterated, “This team is missing something, for example, a midfield that at a certain point says: ‘Now we’re in command.’ It’s a team that works in fits and starts on the plays of one or the other, there’s no harmony in the game.”
Capello questioned the club’s decision-making, particularly regarding De Rossi’s short tenure. “You have to ask yourself why you, as a club, made DDR sign a three-year contract, deemed him suitable, and then sent him away after four games. This aspect already makes me doubt certain managerial capabilities. The feeling is one of general confusion.”
On new signings like Pisilli, Koné, and Dovbyk, Capello offered mixed reviews. He was particularly puzzled by the lack of playing time for Hummels: “Why aren’t the new players, apart from Dovbyk, playing? It’s something out of Cinecittà…”
Capello also highlighted the mismatch between Juric’s preferred style of play and Roma’s squad characteristics. “There was a team designed by De Rossi, and now there’s one, with Juric, with other characteristics and needs.”
When asked if Roma is a Champions League-caliber team, Capello was blunt: “The league table speaks clearly. There are other teams, including Lazio, that are now running faster.”
Finally, Capello addressed the potential impact of Juric’s contract situation on the team’s psychology: “Here, the players must take charge of the situation, form a group, and fight regardless of the perspective and contract expiration of their coach.”
Capello concluded by noting the absence of a strong managerial figure at the club, humorously remarking on a recent incident: “Indeed, it made me smile that in Monza, to protest a penalty not given, a director who speaks French went…”
