The veteran coach Claudio Ranieri stirred controversy with strong statements confirming that he will not continue as head coach of AS Roma after the end of the current season, even if the team succeeds in qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.

Ranieri, who is temporarily leading Roma until the end of the 2024/2025 season, revealed during the press conference before the match against Fiorentina that he will return to work in the club's management next summer, indicating that he will not change his decision.

Ranieri said: "I love my team, but continuing for another year would be a mistake for Roma. I will provide all the assistance the club needs from my managerial position after the season ends, but I do not see that continuing to coach would be the right decision."

He added: "Reaching the Champions League is not like it was with Leicester City; here, we have to fight with everything we have. There is no room for excuses. We have four matches left, and we must be hungry for victory until the last moment."

Despite his decision not to continue, Ranieri has succeeded in leading Roma to achieve a series of impressive results, with the team collecting 26 points in the last 10 matches, with 8 wins and 2 draws, outperforming all teams in Serie A during this period, including the leaders Napoli.

Roma currently occupies the sixth position in the Serie A standings, just two points behind the top four, with four crucial rounds remaining in the race for Champions League qualification.