Claudio Ranieri Departs AS Roma as Senior Advisor Following Power Struggle with Gian Piero Gasperini

Claudio Ranieri confirms his departure from AS Roma was a unilateral club decision. The icon leaves Trigoria following a rift with coach Gian Piero Gasperini.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 25, 2026, 3:28 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from YSScores

The Final Chapter of a Roman Icon

The storied relationship between Claudio Ranieri and AS Roma reached an abrupt conclusion on Friday as the club announced the termination of his role as senior advisor. Ranieri, a figure synonymous with the Giallorossi since his days as a player and through three separate managerial stints, confirmed that the separation was not mutual. In a brief but pointed statement, the 74-year-old tactician revealed that the decision to end his consultancy was a "unilateral move" by the club’s management. This sudden exit comes less than a year after he was brought out of retirement to stabilize the team, eventually guiding them to a fifth-place finish and a return to European competition before transitioning into the boardroom.

Internal Friction and the Gasperini Fallout

The primary catalyst for Ranieri’s departure appears to be an irreconcilable rift with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The tension between the two prominent figures escalated into a public proxy war over the club's sporting direction and recruitment strategies. According to multiple reports from Trigoria, the friction peaked after Ranieri gave a pre-match interview suggesting that Gasperini had been the club's fourth choice for the managerial position and asserting that no signings were made without the coach's explicit consent. Gasperini reportedly viewed these comments as a public betrayal, leading to a breakdown in communication that forced the Friedkin family to choose between their advisor and their head coach.

Strategic Choices by the Friedkin Ownership

By siding with Gasperini, the Roma ownership has signaled a commitment to the coach's long-term tactical project over the traditionalist influence of Ranieri. Despite Ranieri’s deep roots within the city and the fanbase, the board prioritized the technical stability of the first team as they look to build on a calendar year that saw Roma accumulate more Serie A points than any other side in 2025. The decision to "sacrifice" Ranieri highlights the cutthroat nature of the club's current leadership style, which seeks to eliminate any internal noise that might distract from on-field performance as they navigate the final stages of the 2025–2026 season.