Ranieri: ‘Clear’ Hummels red card, ‘I had lost Valverde’s number’ | OneFootball

Claudio Ranieri admits Mats Hummels deserved an early red card against Athletic Club and reveals he gave Ernesto Valverde a note with his mobile number.

Ranieri’s Roma lost 3-1 in Bilbao this evening and were eliminated from the Europa League Round of 16.

Hummels received a straight red card after just 11 minutes. Roma players protested on the pitch, and Gianluca Mancini said in a post-match interview that the referee’s decision was too harsh, but Ranieri didn’t share the same view.

“Yes, it was a clear and obvious red card,” the Italian tactician told Sky Sport Italia via TMW.

“He [Hummels] wasted time; he should have passed the ball to the left, but he didn’t. It happens, he’s a great champion, but it happens. Despite that, I want to congratulate the team, as the lads remained united in difficult moments and fought to the maximum.”

Athletic Club scored the opening goal just a few seconds before the half-time whistle. So what did Ranieri tell his players during the break?

“I told the boys, ‘Alright, they scored at the end of the first half, so we can do it at the end of the match. There’s a whole second half ahead, and we have the chance to do well.’

Ranieri: ‘Clear’ Hummels red card, I had lost Valverde’s number

epa11901437 Roma’s coach Claudio Ranieri reacts during the Italian Serie A soccer match Parma Calcio vs AS Roma at Ennio Tardini stadium in Parma, Italy, 16 February 2025. EPA-EFE/ELISABETTA BARACCHI

“It’s a shame because we were feeling good and were convinced we could have a great match. These kinds of moments can go one way or the other, but I can’t blame the boys for anything. They played a fantastic game in a very difficult situation.”

Roma are also out of Coppa Italia so they must aim to finish as high as possible in the Serie A table.

“Our goal is always to give our best,” said Ranieri.

“We are still up there with the top teams, and we will do everything we can to take Roma as high as possible. I said it at the beginning of my journey in November, and I keep repeating it: I never give up. I always want the best, I demand it from myself, and I ask the same from the players.

“Give me a strong performance like today and we’ll have no regrets. We gave our all in an incredible and intense atmosphere, just like in the first leg at our stadium. Congratulations to them, but also to my players, who put in a great performance.”

After the final whistle, the Italian tactician shook hands with his counterpart, Valverde, but he also gave a note to the Athletic Club coach.

“We’re such good friends that I had actually lost his phone number! I told him, ‘Take this, I need to talk to you,’ because he knows a lot of Spanish players who could be of interest to me. That’s why I did it in front of everyone,” Ranieri revealed.

Ranieri insisted that despite giving his number to Valverde, the Athletic Club coach is not a candidate for the Roma job next season: “You have already mentioned too many,” he told journalists.