Roma have dismissed manager Daniele De Rossi just four matches into the new Serie A season.
De Rossi, who was appointed in January to succeed José Mourinho at the Stadio Olimpico, has struggled to secure a win this season, with Roma drawing three matches and suffering a home defeat to Empoli last month.
Following their 1-1 draw against Genoa on Sunday, Roma find themselves in 16th place in the Serie A standings.
A club statement read: “The club’s decision is taken in the interest of the team, to be able to promptly resume the desired path at a time when the season is still at its beginning.
“To Daniele, who will always be at home in the Giallorossi club, a heartfelt thanks for the work carried out in these months with passion and dedication.”
De Rossi’s tenure at Roma began impressively, with the team losing just one of his first 11 league matches and collecting 26 points out of a possible 33. This strong run elevated Roma from ninth to fifth in the table.
The club also made it to the Europa League semi-finals, where they were eliminated by Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.
Roma finished sixth last season, securing another Europa League spot for this season, with a notable fixture against Tottenham on 28 November.
Over the summer, Roma bolstered their squad by signing last season’s La Liga top scorer Artem Dovbyk from Girona, and experienced German defender Mats Hummels on a free transfer.
However, there were several departures. Former Manchester United centre-back Chris Smalling moved to Saudi Pro League side Al-Fayha, while ex-Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham joined AC Milan on loan. Romelu Lukaku, who spent last season on loan at Roma from Chelsea, has now signed with Napoli.
Other notable exits include Andrea Belotti (Como), Rui Patricio (Atalanta), and Leonardo Spinazzola (Napoli), who all left in recent months.
As a player, De Rossi, now 41, spent 22 years at Roma between 1997 and 2019, making 616 appearances. He was also part of Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning squad.
Roma is primarily owned by The Friedkin Group, which holds a 95.97% stake in the club. The group’s attempted takeover of Everton fell through in July.