AS Roma manager Claudio Ranieri has urged fans to help with a last push as his side to jump Juventus to the last qualifying place of Serie A on the last day of the season.
Ranieri, 73, received a dazzling tribute in his last home game in the Stadio Olimpico – Sunday's 3-1 victory over AC Milan – including a Tifo who described him as, “a great leader … a real Romanista.”
Ranieri retired in November and sent his boys' club away from the relegation zone to the edge of an unlikely place in the Champions League of next season.
“It's great, because you are always appreciated by your own people,” said a tearing Ranieri.
“I put my confidence in them, because when I arrived, their mood was really rock bottom and they barely had a self -respect. We slowly managed to climb that mountain. We have put together an undefeated run of 19 games and it was really an important period.”
Roma travels to mid-table Torino next weekend, while Juventus, a point forward in the fourth, is in relegation Battlers Venezia.
“We needed your love,” Ranieri said the fans. “I was among you in those stands 60 years ago. I asked you for help, now we need that last step.”