Coach Rudi Garcia praised Francesco Totti’s return after the skipper inspired Roma to a 3-2 win over Udinese.

Totti had been out for five weeks but took just 21 minutes to get himself on the scoresheet.

The veteran’s partnership with Mattia Destro, who scored on 29 minutes, was also a feature as they played together for just the second time this season.

While Roma were forced to hold on in the end as Udinese battled back – the hosts indebted to goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis – Garcia was pleased to see his side get back to winning, and scoring, ways after failing to do either in their previous two matches.

“We scored three goals and had the chance to score another two or three,” he told Sky Sports Italia.

“We created a lot in attack, so I am happy with the performance of these players. We knew the captain couldn’t play a full 90 minutes, but he lit up the game.

“I am above all happy with the way the team played, as remember we were without Daniele De Rossi, Kevin Strootman and Maicon.”

Garcia admitted the match had been one of Roma’s toughest at the Stadio Olimpico since he took charge last summer.

Roma are unbeaten in 15 home games in the league this season but must continue to maintain that form with Napoli breathing down their neck in the race for the second direct Champions League. Rafa Benitez’s side won 1-0 at Torino on Monday night.

“We had done many great things, but also given away too many chances. We hadn’t suffered like this at home for 15 games,” Garcia said.

“They say football is the art of making life difficult for yourself, but we got the three points and that was the important thing.

“We could’ve scored more goals, but without a great Morgan De Sanctis performance we could’ve conceded more too.”

Udinese made their late rally thanks to second-half goals from Giampiero Pinzi and Dusan Basta either side of a Vasilis Torosidis strike.

Midfielder Strootman has knee surgery

Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman underwent successful knee surgery in Amsterdam yesterday.

Strootman was ruled out for the season, and this summer’s World Cup, after the Holland midfielder tore his anterior cruciate ligament early in last week’s 1-0 defeat at Napoli.

“Kevin Strootman this morning had surgery on his left knee at the AMC hospital in Amsterdam,” a club statement read.

“The surgery, performed by Profs Van Dijk and Kerkhoff and Dr Heijboer and in the presence of the Giallorossi health director Dr Colautti, lasted about two hours and is a complete success.

“The player will start the rehabilitation therapies in the next few days in Amsterdam.”

  P W D L F A Pts
Juventus 28 24 3 1 64 19 75
Roma 27 18 7 2 52 14 61
Napoli 28 17 7 4 53 29 58
Fiorentina 28 14 6 8 48 31 48
Inter 28 12 11 5 46 29 47
Parma 27 12 10 5 45 31 46
Lazio 28 11 8 9 36 35 41
Verona 28 12 4 12 43 46 40
Atalanta 28 11 4 13 31 38 37
Torino 28 9 9 10 39 36 36
Milan 28 9 8 11 41 42 35
Genoa 28 9 8 11 31 35 35
Sampdoria 28 9 7 12 33 42 34
Udinese 28 9 4 15 32 42 31
Cagliari 28 6 11 11 27 38 29
Chievo 28 6 6 16 23 41 24
Livorno 28 6 6 16 31 51 24
Bologna 28 4 11 13 23 43 23
Sassuolo 28 5 6 17 28 56 21
Catania 28 4 8 16 21 49 20

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