New Roma coach Daniele De Rossi made a winning start with a 2-1 victory over Hellas Verona in Serie A. The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was intense, with protests outside the stadium following the firing of previous coach Jose Mourinho. De Rossi, the former Giallorossi captain, was greeted by loud cheers, but there were also numerous banners saluting Mourinho. Roma quickly shed Mourinho's defensive style for a more offensive approach, with goals from Romelu Lukaku and captain Lorenzo Pellegrini orchestrated by Stephan El Shaarawy. Verona pulled one back with a long, swerving shot from Michael Folorunsho, and Roma goalkeeper Rui Patricio was partly to blame for the goal. The victory moved Roma within two points of the top four and the Champions League zone, which is the objective for De Rossi's six-month contract. Verona remained in the relegation zone. The challenge now for De Rossi is to maintain this winning start and lead Roma to success after Mourinho's departure.