On a dramatic Sunday evening, Roma, under the guidance of new manager Daniele De Rossi, were on the brink of their second loss since De Rossi took the helm. Leeds United’s Diego Llorente, on loan at Roma, turned his performance around dramatically by scoring a late equalizer.
De Rossi, who stepped in for Jose Mourinho in January, has had a commendable run with 11 games under his belt, securing seven victories and suffering just a single defeat—a spirited 4-2 loss against Inter Milan.
Llorente, returning to the starting lineup after being absent for two matches, initially struggled to find his form against Fiorentina, who were on the verge of taking all three points in an enthralling match.
The game saw its first goal from Luca Ranieri for La Viola, with Houssem Aouar leveling the score. Fiorentina’s lead was then reclaimed by Rolando Mandragora in the 69th minute. However, a missed penalty by Cristian Biraghi for Fiorentina in the 80th minute kept Roma in the game.
The turning point came in the 95th minute when Llorente unleashed a spectacular strike into the top corner, marking his first goal for Roma and securing a 2-2 draw. Voce Giallorossa rated his performance highly, praising the late, remarkable goal that transformed his status on the field.
Llorente, who has been a regular in Roma’s lineup, playing 32 times across all competitions this season, has now made 44 appearances since joining them in January 2023.
While Llorente’s long-term future is yet to be confirmed, it’s widely anticipated that he will make his move to Roma permanent at season’s end, with negotiations between Leeds and Roma expected to conclude soon.
However, with PSG showing interest in January, Roma might consider signing him for a £4m fee only to sell him at a higher price later, aiming to boost their own transfer budget. Llorente’s situation is definitely one to keep an eye on as the summer transfer window approaches.
