Chievo vs Roma preview - Enrique quiet on future
Posted Tuesday, May 01, 2012 by PA
Roma coach Luis Enrique is remaining tight-lipped on whether or not he will remain at the club next season ahead of the game at Chievo.
There is media speculation in Italy that the 41-year-old, who is in his first season in charge at Roma, could return to his native Spain this summer.
"There are two possibilities," Luis Enrique said. "That I leave or that I remain.
"Once the time arrives, I will say what I think. We will evaluate the situation and I will decide.
"Of course, I already know 100 per cent what I am going to do.
"My focus right now is on Tuesday's game. We must beat Chievo because anything but three points would see us out of contention for a place in Europe next season."
Inconsistency has been Roma's main problem this term.
Of their 35 league games so far, the Giallorossi have won 15 while losing 14.
Sunday's 2-2 draw against Napoli followed their 2-1 loss to Fiorentina and dropped the club to seventh place.
Roma are now four points behind Inter Milan, who hold the last Europa League qualifying spot, with three rounds of games remaining.
"We have wasted many opportunities this campaign," Luis Enrique said. "There were certain games that we should have won or drawn but instead we lost.
"We have to look forward and my only concern at this time is the game at Chievo."
To complicate matters for Luis Enrique his side travel to Verona without suspended strikers Erik Lamela and Daniel Osvaldo.
Moreover, Spanish forward Bojan Krkic is out injured and goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg has failed to recover from a muscle problem.
Roma captain Francesco Totti will lead his side's attack alongside Fabio Borini while Bogdan Lobont will replace Stekelenburg in goal.
Roma will be bolstered by the return of midfielder Daniele De Rossi from suspension.
Opponents Chievo go into the encounter at the Marc' Antonio Bentegodi stadium on the back of a goalless draw at Cagliari.
That result lifted the Flying Donkeys to 12th place, nine points clear of the drop zone.
A point on Tuesday would be enough for Chievo to guarantee themselves top flight football next term.
"We are almost there," Chievo defender Francesco Acerbi said. "We need one more point to make it happen and hopefully we will get it on Tuesday."
The men from Verona need to show a vast improvement in front of goal having failed to find the net in their last four games.
Chievo coach Domenico Di Carlo welcomes back defender Cesar from suspension.
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