Ranieri refuses to blame Juan for loss

Roma manager Claudio Ranieri admitted his team had paid the price for two errors from defender Juan as they lost 2-1 to Sampdoria.

Roma had taken the lead through Mirko Vucinic at the Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris, but after visiting goalkeeper Julio Sergio was sent off, Sampdoria rallied with a penalty from Nicola Pozzi and Stefano Guberti.

The Brazilian centre-back was at fault for both goals but Ranieri refused to be too critical of the defender.

“The match has been decided by those mistakes. It’s a pity since we were winning and playing a good match. They were two mistakes made by a champion. He has never made such mistakes before and I don’t think he will make them again in his career,” Ranieri said.

“He was so sorry, but these things can happen. Of course we’re disappointed because we were playing a good match but it doesn’t matter.”

The Italian boss said his side’s away form was a worry entering the second half of the season.

“We know that we have difficulties away from home. We’re top of the league when it comes to home matches but we have difficulties in the away matches. We wanted to change this situation and we came close today but it ended up in this way,” he said.

“We don’t give up and we should keep on battling up to the very last second and we should do our best in order to be able to compete when it comes to the final battle.”

The loss leaves Roma in fourth place, eight points behind league leaders AC Milan after 19 games.