Rasmus Kristensen and Diego Llorente combined as Roma took to the field for the first time, drawing with Salernitana – and Forza Roma criticised the Leeds man made his debut for Jose Mourinho’s side.
Kristensen started on the right flank in a 3-5-2 system deployed by Mourinho. The 26-year-old will be looking to make a better impression at the Serie A giants than he did at Leeds, struggling his 30 games.
The Denmark star lasted 60 minutes with Llorente on the left of a back three. Roma took the lead with Andrea Belotti scoring. Tammy Abraham and Paulo Dybala both missing through injury and suspension.
But Salernitana turned the game around against a lacklustre Roma, and Mourinho’s men needed Belotti to score again – just to win a point. Kristensen was replaced by Rick Karsdorp just after the hour mark.
Forza Roma summed up the performances of Roma’s players. Kristensen was handed a 5/10 rating, joint worst of the players that started. The report explains the difficulty Kristensen had during his first display.
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“He drips with sweat every meter and has some difficulty integrating the up and down movements with Mancini behind him. He stays behind, disciplined. Too much,” Forza Roma said, giving him a 5/10 rating.
“Right now he still seems to be a foreign body to the well-tested teamwork of the group. The hellish heat didn’t help. (65′ Karsdorp 6: not lightning, but it is clear he knows better what Mou wants on that side).”
Rasmus Kristensen criticised as Leeds man makes Roma debut
A quick look on social media and it is clear that Roma fans are already critical of the Danish defender. It did seem like a strange move – having struggled at Leeds, to then join a club like Roma for 2023-24.
Of course, this is only his first outing and there is plenty of time to get it right. But, Dutchman Karsdorp will fancy his chances in rivalry with Kristensen on the right – after the Leeds man’s first Roma outing.