Enrique, Baldini share Roma blame

Roma coach Luis Enrique hinted his head may be on the chopping block after accepting fault for the club’s failures this season.

The capital club’s Champions League hopes look all but dashed after Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat to Fiorentina leaves them in seventh place, five points behind third-placed Lazio with four matches left to play in Serie A.

Despite fans staging heated protests and refusing to let the team bus leave the stadium after the home defeat, Roma director Franco Baldini insisted (the club) ‘have no doubts and it is not the end of the project’.

“If anyone is responsible for the failure of this season, then it is me,” Enrique said.

“This club is different from many others and I wish them all the best for the future.”

However, Baldini defended his ‘wounded’ coach and said the blame for their failure to clinch Champions League football lay with the entire outfit.

“I cannot be inside Luis’ head at this moment and he may well be upset, as he thought we had an important chance of reaching the Champions League.

“At this moment he is a wounded man, but that doesn’t mean he has already made a decision.

“As far as we are concerned, there are no doubts on Luis. If someone is responsible, then it has to be me.”

Baldini was quick to smooth over tensions, reiterating Roma’s Barcelona-style project was still a work in the making, and insisting Enrique was the man to take them forward.

“It is difficult to say what the mistakes were, but I can say that I made a few and take responsibility, but this is not a failure or the end of the project,” he said.

“Our club was built on August 18, we created the squad in chaotic fashion during a 12-day period and this didn’t help us pick the best players for our project.

“Will Luis Enrique choose his future? Yes, as long as he is authorised to make decisions then he will be making them. As far as I am concerned, he will continue to be the Roma Coach next season.”