'They stood with me' - Claudio Ranieri praises Roma players after beating AC Milan in his final home game to keep Champions League hopes alive

Ranieri got emotional after AS Roma defeated Milan 3-1 in the Serie A, keeping their top-four hopes alive for a UEFA Champions League spot. This was Roma's last home game of the season, and Ranieri's penultimate at the club.

AS Roma currently sit fifth in the Serie A table with 66 points. However, they can qualify for the Champions League if Juventus drop points in the final round of fixtures and Roma come out with a victory against Torino next Sunday. Ranieri was appointed by the board in November 2024. During his tenure, the club witnessed a 19-game unbeaten streak, which helped them keep their hopes intact for the continental top-flight next season.

The 73-year-old Italian manager said: "They stood with me from the first day, they know my character. I told them that they had to help me, because I couldn’t do it on my own. I put my faith in them, because when I arrived, their mood really was rock bottom and they had barely any self-esteem left. We slowly managed to climb that mountain."

After the Torino game this week, Ranieri will be leaving the managerial role at AS Roma. The Giallorossi will be hiring him as the sports advisor.