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Trumped by treble-winning Inter - Ranieri's first Roma reign

As Claudio Ranieri returns to Roma, we look back at a first stint with the club that included an intense rivalry with Jose Mourinho and Inter.

Claudio Ranieri

Rome, March 9: Claudio Ranieri is back at Roma for a second spell in charge of his boyhood club.

He replaced Eusebio Di Francesco, who was sacked following the club's UEFA Champions League last-16 exit to Porto.

The 67-year-old endured a dismal spell as Fulham manager this season, but his Premier League title triumph with Leicester City is still relatively fresh in the mind.

However, Ranieri's success with the Foxes was particularly notable as previous tilts at the top had fallen short. One such bid for glory came with Roma.

As he returns to the Stadio Olimpico, we look at Ranieri's first stint - including, with the help of Opta, the key numbers behind that spell.

TITLE TUSSLE

Jose Mourinho replaced Ranieri at Chelsea early in Roman Abramovich's reign, while the Italian got his revenge by beating the Blues to prompt his opposite number's sacking as Leicester City marched towards an improbable championship in 2015-16.

In between Mourinho's two spells at Stamford Bridge, though, there was a titanic title struggle with Ranieri's Roma.

The Nerazzurri made history in 2009-10 as they won the treble - Serie A, the Coppa Italia and the Champions League - but Roma were with them all the way in the two domestic competitions and could well have won the Scudetto.

Ranieri arrived in Rome two games into the season and had the Giallorossi top with four matches remaining, unbeaten in 24. But a home defeat to Sampdoria cost Roma the title and then they lost to Mourinho's Inter in the Coppa final.

ROCKY RUN

Mourinho was gone as the 2010-11 season began, but so too was Ranieri's magic touch. He lost to Rafael Benitez's Inter in the Supercoppa Italiana.

A four-match winless start to the Serie A campaign also saw Francesco Totti reportedly claim Ranieri's Roma "did not play football" in a Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich, although the club icon later insisted he had no problem with the coach.

There was an upturn in form after Ranieri's side defeated Inter - of course - to get the season up and running, but it did not last.

The boss departed after a three-match losing run in the league, capped by a 4-3 reverse at Genoa in which Roma had led 3-0 with less than 40 minutes remaining. He would soon turn up again in Serie A - at Inter.

IN NUMBERS

Ranieri's fortunes may have taken a downward turn after that disappointing end to the 2009-10 season, but he still boasted a very solid record with Roma.

He won 47 of 84 matches in all competitions (56 per cent) and 35 of 61 in Serie A (57 per cent), averaging an impressive 1.95 points per game in the league.

There were 12 Serie A losses, with just four of those coming in his first campaign as they troubled Inter.

In both the league and in all competitions, Ranieri's men averaged 1.7 goals scored per game and 1.2 conceded per game.

Story first published: Saturday, March 9, 2019, 16:17 [IST]
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