Sabatini calls for support from Roma fans

Roma director Walter Sabatini has urged the club’s fans to stay behind the team in the wake of Zdenek Zeman’s sacking as coach.

The Czech was relieved of his position after Friday’s 4-2 defeat to Cagliari, the culmination of a terrible run that has seen Roma pick up only two points in the five games since the mid-season break and fall to eighth in Serie A.

Fans had gathered in the rain and were directing abuse at the director of football and leading club officials such as general manager Franco Baldini, accusing them of being fans of cross-city rivals Lazio.

“Believe me, your suffering is also mine,” Sabatini told Roma fans, according to the Corriere dello Sport.

“I suffer so much for Roma, working 15 hours a day. I am much more a Roma fan than for Lazio. Don’t worry, it will not end in this way.

“Now it looks like bad, but we have a very strong team and we will prove it, I tell you. Zeman was unlucky, this is the truth. Anyway, we will make it count in the end.”

Supporters also aimed insults in the direction of Baldini, insisting Roma was theirs and urging him to leave the club.