AS Roma vs. Genoa: De Rossi’s return before big January changes

Roma host Daniele De Rossi’s Genoa on December 29, which could be the last game before big January changes for the Giallorossi.

Roma-Genoa will be the last game of Serie A Week 17, and it will be more meaningful than what the table might suggest.

The Giallorossi have lost three of the last five league games but still sit 4th in the standings, 16 points above the Grifone.

De Rossi returns to the Olimpico

Roma legend De Rossi, now in charge of Genoa, might have lost the last two league matches, but has grabbed eight points from six league outings since taking over from Patrick Vieira in November 2025.

It goes without saying that the return of ‘Capitan Futuro’ to the capital is one of the big events of the Serie A weekend.

De Rossi was also the Roma coach for 30 matches between January and September 2024. His sacking last year sent the team and the club into pure chaos, and only the appointment of Claudio Ranieri two months later, replacing Ivan Juric, saved the Giallorossi’s season.

This will be De Rossi’s first game against Roma since leaving the club over a year ago, and surely it will be an emotional return home for the 2006 Italy World Cup winner.

Gasperini hopes for big January changes

The match, however, is also meaningful because Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini hopes many changes will take place at the club starting in January.

The Italian tactician criticised Evan Ferguson after a defeat against Juventus last week, suggesting that he’d be glad to welcome two new strikers in the January transfer window, ideally Giacomo Raspadori and Joshua Zirkzee.

It remains to be seen if Roma will manage to secure deals for both strikers and how soon Gasperini will receive his January gifts. Surely, the coach hopes sooner rather than later.

Furthermore, according to recent reports, Roma are also interested in Radu Dragusin for the defence and Genoa’s Morten Frendrup in central midfield.

The Danish international is expected to start in Rome on Monday night, one more reason not to miss the Giallorossi’s final game of the year.