A pilgrimage to the Olimpico wasn’t meant to be on the agenda this season.
That was what I thought even before its unrecognisably turbulent first few months.
But then something magical started happening.
The return of Claudio Ranieri as Roma’s head coach brought back stability, unity and, as the weeks went on, the chance to compete for something. I was falling under the spell.
And so, exactly a year and a day since my last visit, I found myself in the Tribuna Tevere once again.
When planning this unforeseen trip, the options available to me for the remaining games were limited, but one in particular emerged as an intriguing possibility – not just because of the date, but also because of a coincidence.
Six years ago, I’d attended one of the matches of Ranieri’s second spell in charge of Roma. The opponents that day? Fiorentina. At this point I didn’t need much more convincing, but I took that as the last sign I needed.
Ranieri’s presence was an important factor in my urge to show my support at the stadium again. Watching from afar the spell of form he has guided Roma to – which has become half a season unbeaten in Serie A after the Fiorentina game – has been a sight to behold. I needed to pay my own homage before his final bow at the Olimpico.
Sitting in the Tribuna Tevere provides a different lens as the opposite angle to where the main TV cameras face. Consequently, I was also able to observe more from the dugouts. I noted how Ranieri was invariably near the front of his technical area, taking his opportunities to feed little instructions to his players. It emphasised to me how he hasn’t just been sitting back and letting things pan out during this run of form; he has been frequently looking to impose his influence on the game and help his players through each challenge. His attention to detail has not waned.
Unsurprisingly, I was not alone in wanting to express my gratitude for Ranieri. When his forename was read out ahead of kick off, the crowd’s response of his surname reverberated more than any other cheer.
🔊 The sound of the Olimpico on Sunday. #Roma #ASRoma pic.twitter.com/JhCIR8iZXR
— Samuel Bannister (@SamBanno1) May 6, 2025
The leader in the dugout wasn’t the only difference in personnel compared to 366 days before. Only five members of the starting lineup were the same as when I’d watched Daniele De Rossi’s Roma draw with Juventus. Even compared to when I went to watch Roma away at Everton in a friendly in August, there were some new faces. Those I was seeing live for the first time were starters Manu Koné and Eldor Shomurodov, plus subs Niccolò Pisilli, Lucas Gourna-Douath and Devyne Rensch.
I was especially relishing the chance to see Koné. Sometimes, the most dominant players appear even more so in person, which I was hoping would be the case with him – and he impressed. Moreover, that was also the case for the man responsible for the best individual performance – not an outfield player, but Mile Svilar in goal. He was superb. It was the third time I could appreciate his talent in person, but he seemed to have superpowers on this occasion.
Thus, Artem Dovbyk was the only player to score, giving Roma a 1-0 win. Given that the past three Roma games I’d attended had all finished 1-1, I had reason to be nervous towards the end, but I needn’t have been. Then, hearing Grazie Roma after the game provided an outpouring of relief.
And the emotions weren’t finished there. As I’ve acknowledged, there were five of the same starting players from my most recent trip. But there was a sixth also in attendance: Edoardo Bove. His stroll across the pitch towards the Curva Sud, under which he ended up in tears, was immediately iconic and it was an honour to be in the vicinity of.
What’s more, it was a fitting time to take stock. What happens for Bove in the future remains unclear. What happens for Roma in the future remains unclear. In that moment, though, time could stand still and what mattered the most could sink in. As the banner in the Curva Sud said: Forza Edo.
Roma have been on a crazy ride over these past five months. It’s important to take stock of that too. And it was a privilege to be present for a small part of this remarkable run, for Ranieri’s penultimate home match in charge of Roma. He didn’t let me down.
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