Ranieri calls for calm ahead of Cup final

AS Roma coach Claudio Ranieri on Tuesday called for his side’s fans to remain calm ahead of Wednesday’s Coppa Italia final against Inter Milan.

There are fears that some Roma supporters will be out for revenge following the controversy surrounding Sunday’s Serie A match between Lazio and Inter.

Inter won that game 2-0 in Rome but the home side’s fans were cheering on their opponents while Lazio’s players appeared listless.

Champions Inter and Roma are currently also contesting the scudetto with Jose Mourinho’s team two points ahead with two games to play.

Lazio fans had made it clear before Sunday’s match that they would prefer Inter to win to deny bitter city rivals Roma the title rather than winning themselves.

And many people connected with Roma have labelled the match “shameful”.

Ranieri refused to comment on the game but asked fans to behave on Wednesday.

“Our fans should turn up for a party, they should be sporting,” he said.

“The team’s strength has been its togetherness, we’ve got here thanks to the faith and energy that our fans have given us, this needs to be about sporting merits and nothing else.

“I don’t think there will be any trouble, our fans need to just be happy about how the team is fighting.”

It’s the fifth time in six years that these two have contested the Italian Cup final, with Inter winning the first two in 2005 and 2006 and Roma triumphing in the next two years.

And with them also guaranteed to finish as the top two in Serie A for the fourth time in five years, Ranieri believes no-one can be counted as favourites.

“It will be a final between two protagonists. Inter have won the title four years in a row, they’re doing great in the Champions League and I’m very happy there’s an Italian team in the final,” he said.

“We’re happy and proud to be able to play against such a team in the Italian Cup final.

“We have a lot of respect for them but we’ll be playing our game.

“The two teams fighting for the title are playing in the cup final, there’s no favourite.

“Inter are strong but we’ve shown our strengths too. It’s 50-50, the best will win.”