It was very much a season of two halves for Roma in 2015/16. After successive runners-up finishes in his first two campaigns in charge, the natural progression for Rudi Garcia would surely be to challenge for top spot. However, Roma had finished 17 points away from Juventus in both of those years and it appeared they weren't going to get any closer. Indeed, the first half of this season suggested that Garcia had taken the Giallorossi as far as he could and things began to turn stale. Roma actually made a decent start and secured a victory over Juventus in their second league game as well as a very credible draw at home to Barcelona in the Champions League. However, it was the return game against the European champions which proved to be the start of a horrendous slide. It was a similar story to last season when they were thrashed 7-1 by Bayern Munich. Barcelona destroyed them at the Camp Nou with a 6-1 victory which shattered the confidence of the capital club. Roma won just one of their next eight games including a humiliating Coppa Italia defeat to Serie B's Spezia. It was a run that would finally cost Garcia his job and former manager Luciano Spalletti was brought in to replace him. Many wondered whether he could replicate the success of his first stint at the club and discerning voices were loud after a draw against bottom club Hellas Verona and then a defeat at Juventus but there were signs of encouragement even in that loss. Going toe-to-toe with the champions and only narrowly succumbing seemed to revive some confidence in the team who ended the season with an incredible 17 match unbeaten run in Serie A, winning 14 of those games and almost snatching 2nd place. In the end, it was 3rd and a place in the qualifying round of the Champions League but Roma fans would have bitten hands off for that at Christmas time. They even saved some face in Europe with two decent performances against Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League despite going out. The club bought well in the winter transfer window as Stephan El Shaarawy reminded everyone in Italy of just what a talent he is, after a couple of seasons in the wilderness. Diego Perotti was another shrewd buy who proved effective in a "False 9" role up front. Edin Dzeko was Garcia's big summer signing and he proved to be something of a flop with just 8 goals whilst also missing some sitters throughout the campaign. Mohamed Salah proved much more effiecient from wide areas with his pace and dynamism making him the club's leading scorer. Radja Nainggolan was as solid and dependable as ever in the middle of the park but it was Miralem Pjanic who knitted everything together beautifully, becoming the team's main orchestrator in chief. The man who used to hold that role was Francesco Totti who also had a rollercoaster of a season. He was left on the bench for most of it and it looked as though his career at the one club he'd stayed loyal to was about to come to an end. However, some inspirational performances off the bench by the captain towards the end of the season provided memorable moments for the Romanista who demanded that he be given another year at the club - a request which was granted. Nevertheless, no one can envisage anything more than a bit-part role in the side for Totti next season as Spalletti will look to build on the momentum he gathered by bringing in some fresh young faces in the summer.
