Ranieri calls for calm

Roma coach Claudio Ranieri admits his players must learn how to cope better under pressure as the Serie A title race hots up.

The Giallorossi beat city rivals Lazio 2-1 on Sunday to regain top spot in the standings from Inter with four games remaining.

Roma trailed 1-0 at half-time and Ranieri took the bold decision to substitute skipper Francesco Totti and his vice-captain Daniele de Rossi.

"Why did I substitute Totti and De Rossi? They feel the derby too much," Ranieri said.

"They don't play like they can when they face Lazio and were too heated up in the first half. That is why I took them off.

"In my career, I have taken many decisions like this one. For example, in Valencia I brought off Romario... I do it all for the good of the team."

Ranieri hailed Roma goalkeeper Julio Sergio, who denied Lazio a second goal by saving Sergio Floccari's penalty early in the second half.

Mirko Vucinic then struck twice to overturn Tommaso Rocchi's 14th-minute opener and hand Roma a vital three points.

"We wanted to win this game," Ranieri said.

"The penalty save gave us the strength to react to a difficult situation."

Lazio coach Edy Reja was left disappointed not just by the result, which left his team only three points above the drop zone, but by the behaviour of some Roma players after the game.

Totti enraged the Lazio fans by sticking two thumbs down while celebrating the win on the pitch.

Reja said: "I am saddened with what happened at the end of the game.

"Totti is an important player and he should avoid certain gestures. He deserves a 10-match ban because those gestures show no sportsmanship."