Daniele De Rossi got off to a winning start to life as Jose Mourinho’s successor at Roma on Saturday after his boyhood club beat struggling Verona 2-1 at an emotional Stadio Olimpico.
First-half goals from Romelu Lukaku and Lorenzo Pellegrini were enough for eighth-placed Roma to see off Verona and give De Rossi a debut win after taking over on Tuesday.
Roma took advantage of fourth-placed Fiorentina not playing a league fixture this weekend due to their Italian Super Cup commitments in Saudi Arabia by moving to within two points of the Champions League positions.