Roma president James Pallotta is taking "a big risk" tackling ultras over their offensive banners, but is absolutely right to do so.
That's according to European football writer Ben Lyttleton who joined Off The Ball last night to discuss the incredible behaviour of some of Roma's ultras last weekend. Pallotta subsequently slammed the 'f***ing idiots and assholes' who hung banners taunting the mother of murdered Napoli supporter Ciro Esposito.
"Pallotta come into Serie A and been really surprised by how backward things are," Ben told Joe on Off The Ball last night. "Like the TV deals in terms of the amounts of TV revenue, he's amazed at how low it is and how poor the marketing is, and he's saying 'look, I'm used to American sports'.
"They're building a new stadium in Rome where he wants it to host NBA and NFL and other sports and turn it into an entertainment site and content producer where Roma is one of those products."
On the ultras issue, Ben added: "I have sympathy for Pallotta and I agree with him."
President James #Pallotta's statement on @RomaRadio. Read his comments here: http://t.co/olhTIfrZjs #ASRoma pic.twitter.com/Z1Rg7b7Z1G
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) April 7, 2015
Meanwhile, in France Paris Saint-Germain are currently on course for a quadruple. They're top of the league, in the French cup semi-final, the league cup decider and the last eight of the Champions League.
But injuries to Thiago Motta and David Luiz have raised doubts over the Parisians' ability to beat Barcelona in the Champions League next, especially with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marco Verratti already suspended.
Ben reckons losing Motta and Luiz is "even more of a loss to" Paris Saint-Germain that the banned duo.
"Before those two injuries I actually fancied PSG to pip Barcalona but now I think the pendulum has swung back to Barca," he added.
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