Mixed press reaction to beaten Roma

Italian press were mixed in their treatment of AS Roma and penalty villain Daniele De Rossi on Thursday following their Champions League elimination at the hands of Manchester United.

De Rossi missed a first half penalty as Roma lost 1-0 to a 70th minute goal from Carlos Tevez at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

That completed a 3-0 aggregate victory for the English champions following their superb 2-0 victory in Rome a week earlier.

But despite the painful defeat and De Rossi's woeful penalty, Roma still received a heroes' welcome from one newspaper.

“Roma shook up Old Trafford. The best chance came in the 29th minute,” said the Rome-based Corriere dello Sport.

“De Rossi the brave!” was it's main headline followed by: “Only one with courage misses this penalty.

“Roma leave the Champions League at the quarter-final stage with their heads held high.”

Gazzetta dello Sport, known for its slant towards the Milan clubs, was brutal in its treatment of De Rossi.

“Goodbye Roma,” read its headline. “De Rossi misses a penalty against a Manchester shorn of its stars.”

Gazzetta went on to compare Rossi's skied penalty with a previous effort by Roberto Baggio in the 1994 World Cup final penalty shoot-out, which allowed Brazil to claim the title.

“Last night something happened that grips you in the stomach, something which clouds your mind, which weakens your knees: Fear,” added Gazzetta.

“Fear of missing, fear of not achieving, fear of carrying too much responsibility on your shoulders.

“And De Rossi, who looked like a man condemned to torture as he went up to the penalty spot, missed.”