Ranieri becomes Roma's 3rd coach of season

Claudio Ranieri has been appointed as Roma‘s third head coach of the season, the Serie A club announced on Thursday.

It is the third time the Italian has taken charge of his hometown club. He led the team between 2009 and 2011 and returned for a two-month stint in 2019. He also played for the Giallorossi during the 1973-74 campaign.

A statement from Roma said Ranieri will coach Roma until the end of the season with the official title of Technical Director of the First Team before taking on a role in senior management in which he will advise the club’s owners on all sporting matters. Meanwhile, Roma will continue to search for a new long-term coaching appointment, a process that Ranieri will be involved in.

The 73-year-old had announced his retirement from management after helping Cagliari avoid relegation from Serie A at the end of last season.

He is the third head coach to take the helm at the Stadio Olimpico during a tumultuous campaign for the club. His appointment follows Daniele De Rossi’s exit four games into the season and the 12-match reign of Ivan Juric who was sacked on Nov. 10.

Ranieri has never won the Serie A title during his extensive career in management, but did miraculously guide Leicester City to the Premier League title in 2016 after the club had finished 17th in the previous campaign.

Roma are 12th in Serie A having won just three of their opening 12 league games this season.