Roma in hunt for new sporting director: Manna and D'Amico in contention

AS Roma remain in contention for a Champions League spot with three matches left in Serie A, sitting just one point behind fourth-place Juventus. Qualification would represent a major achievement on the pitch and a crucial milestone for financial fair play and the club's future ambitions. According to financial analysis, Roma would gain the largest financial windfall among Italian clubs still in the title race if they secure Champions League football. Roma's projected earnings of €43.5 million from Champions League qualification would comprise participation bonuses, placement payments, the market pool, and UEFA ranking distribution. The club's strong performances in European competitions over recent seasons—including wins in the Europa League and Conference League—have positioned Roma at 13th place in the five-year UEFA ranking, ahead of major clubs like Chelsea and Benfica. Inter Milan is the only Italian team ranked higher than Roma at fifth place in the same calculation. The financial breakdown shows Roma would earn significantly more than other Italian contenders: Juventus would gain €42.6 million, Napoli €38.9 million, and Milan €38.5 million if all qualified. Head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's team must navigate the final three rounds to achieve this objective.

AS Roma is preparing for significant summer changes, with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini actively working to secure contract extensions for defenders Celik and El Shaarawy, both out of contract in June. Gasperini wants both players available at least for the bench in the coming season. The club is simultaneously searching for a new sporting director to replace Ricky Massara, whose future remains uncertain. The Friedkin Group's primary target is Giovanni Manna, currently at Napoli, though president Aurelio De Laurentiis is reportedly reluctant to release him. Tony D'Amico, a former collaborator with Gasperini at Atalanta, remains an alternative option if negotiations with Napoli prove too difficult. These developments come after Roma's 3–0 victory over Fiorentina, which moved the club to within one point of Juventus and kept Champions League qualification hopes alive. The renewal discussions also extend to Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini. Roma has been monitoring midfielder Issa Doumbia of Venezia, who recorded 9 goals and 6 assists in 37 Serie B matches. Details remain unclear regarding specific timelines for the sporting director appointment.

An investigation into Italian football's refereeing system is expanding beyond its initial focus on referees Gianluca Rocchi and Andrea Gervasoni. The Milan prosecutor's office is now calling witnesses including Andrea Butti, head of competitions and operations at Serie A, who oversees fixture scheduling. Butti is reportedly among those expected to provide testimony in the coming days regarding allegations of manipulated referee designations and potential VAR room interference. Butti, a former Inter official, drew criticism from Roma management in April 2024 over the scheduling of Udinese–Roma. Roma had sought a later fixture date to better prepare for their Europa League semi-final against Bayer Leverkusen. At the time, De Rossi expressed frustration with Butti's handling of the matter, stating: "I'm sorry that the head of competitions, a football man who is Butti, who spent many years at Inter and participated in Inter's Treble run, didn't help us and understand. He knows very well how one day more or one day less, even just in travel, can be decisive for a team." De Rossi highlighted that such scheduling decisions had been unprecedented in major European leagues like Ligue 1 or the Bundesliga. The widening investigation represents a significant expansion of the original probe into alleged irregularities affecting Italian football.