Roma lost their first friendly of the season 2-1 to Gyrmot Gyor and were jeered by fans, but Leandro Castan made his comeback.
The most important thing about this game was the return to the playing field of Castan, the defender who has been out of action for a year due to surgery on a cavernoma – an abnormal cluster of blood vessels in the brain.
The Giallorossi’s first friendly of the season got off to an inauspicious start, as before 60 seconds had elapsed the Hungarian second division side already rattled the crossbar from a corner.
Roma lost their first friendly of the season 2-1 to Gyrmot Gyor and were jeered by fans, but Leandro Castan made his comeback.
The most important thing about this game was the return to the playing field of Castan, the defender who has been out of action for a year due to surgery on a cavernoma – an abnormal cluster of blood vessels in the brain.
The Giallorossi’s first friendly of the season got off to an inauspicious start, as before 60 seconds had elapsed the Hungarian second division side already rattled the crossbar from a corner.
Iago Falque made his debut after the transfer from Genoa and sent Gervinho clear on goal, but the Ivorian stumbled when one-on-one with the ‘keeper.
Gyrmot took the lead after 27 minutes when the numerous defensive errors in the final third were finally punished, this time by Belizky.
Coach Rudi Garcia transformed the side at half-time, yet the Hungarians doubled their lead with Attila sliding in to meet a low cross from the right.
The season ended with a great deal of tension between Roma fans and the squad, so it was worrying to hear the crowd at the Pinzolo training camp hurl mocking chants after this second goal.
They began to sing ‘We’ll stay in Serie A’ and after Mattia Destro missed a golden opportunity the jeers rained down from the stands.
The ultras also unfurled banners of protest against the club and squad. ‘2015-16, 11 athletes on the field?’ and another compared Gervinho’s hairstyle to a mop.
Destro did manage to get some revenge on the doubters, nodding in a Di Livio corner to reduce the deficit.
The Hungarian goalkeeper kept out a Salih Ucan free kick plus efforts from Destro and Vestenicky.
Roma 1-2 Gyrmot Gyor
Scorers: Belizky 27 (G), Attila 49 (G), Destro 68 (R)
Roma First Half: De Sanctis; Maicon, Castan, Yanga-Mbiwa, Cole; Uçan (Machin 32), Paredes; Iago Falque, Iturbe, Gervinho; Totti
Roma Second Half: Pop; Anocic, Calabresi, Capradossi, Di Livio; Paredes, Machin, Ndoj; Sanabria, Vestenicky, Destro