Roma success soothes internal strife
Reuters - Saturday 22 January 2011, 21:54
MILAN - AS Roma soothed internal strife by
clambering up to second in Serie A with an easy 3-0 home win
over Cagliari on Saturday.
Francesco Totti netted a penalty midway through the first
half after a foul on Daniele De Rossi by Michele Canini and
Simone Perrotta doubled the lead in the second half after Juan's
header was parried. Jeremy Menez scored a late third.
Totti's goal followed a spat earlier this month with coach
Claudio Ranieri, who according to media reports has also clashed
with Mirko Vucinic over the rotation of his strikers.
The Montenegro forward started on the bench after owner
Rosella Sensi, who is being forced to sell the debt-ridden club
in a long drawn-out process, said he was not for sale amid
reported interest from Juventus.
Struggling Catania lost 2-0 at mid-table Parma in new coach
Diego Simeone's first game in charge.
The ex-Argentina and Inter Milan player, making his debut as
a coach in Europe after winning two titles in his homeland,
watched in frustration as ex-Juventus midfielders Antonio
Candreva and Sebastian Giovinco scored after the break.
"There were good things and others less so," former
tough-nut midfielder Simeone told reporters. "The first half was
good and also at the start of the second we had chances."
Catania, who parted ways with coach Marco Giampaolo in the
week, are 16th but could be dragged further towards trouble
after Sunday's main programme of matches.
It was not a totally bad day for Sicily with Palermo, in
seventh, scoring late through Cesare Bovo to beat second-bottom
Brescia 1-0 and keep their European hopes burning.