Paulo Dybala is a key player for AS Roma under Claudio Ranieri and had just extended his contract. However, the 2022 World Cup-winning Argentine has had his season cut short.
He came on in the 64th minute and went off after just 11 minutes.
After suffering a serious tendon injury in AS Roma’s league game against Cagliari Calcio (1-0), Paulo Dybala had to undergo surgery on Tuesday and, as had been feared, will now be out for the rest of the season.
After “La Joya” therefore already missed Argentina’s World Cup qualifiers, Roma now have to do without an absolute key player in the hot phase of the season as well. Behind Artem Dovbyk, the attacking midfielder is the professional with the most appearances for the Giallorossi (24 league games). Dybala also has six Serie A goals, putting him in joint second place on the club’s all-time scoring list with Alexis Saelemaekers. In mid-January, the Argentine extended his contract, which was originally due to expire in the summer, by a further year.
Ranieri got Römer back on track
AS Roma are currently in seventh place in the Serie A and are therefore in the thick of the race for the European places. Even the Champions League is no longer as far away as it was at the beginning of the season after the catastrophic start with two changes of coach and the non-existent top form of key players like Dybala.
In addition, the Romans will face at least five direct competitors in the fight for European business on the remaining nine matchdays. These include, among others, the record champions Juventus (April 6), who now have a new coach, and Lazio Rome (April 13).
With Claudio Ranieri, the capital city club has already brought in the third coach this season to succeed Ivan Juric and take the team back from twelfth place into the upper half of the table. In 17 league games under the Italian, Mats Hummels’ team has recorded eleven wins, three draws and just three defeats.
