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Several weeks ago, we passed along word that AS Roma’s women’s team, known as AS Roma Femminile, was competing in Serie A this season. While this was an exciting announcement, one heralded by club board member and US Soccer icon Mia Hamm, it was lacking some specifics—namely the names and faces filling out the roster and coaching staff. With the season set to kickoff on September 15, the club lifted the veil off that mystery, revealing the full roster and coaching staff earlier today.
#ASRoma are delighted to confirm the playing and coaching staff for the club's new women's team, who will compete in Serie A this season.
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) July 21, 2018
➡️ https://t.co/tVC2ogT4V5 pic.twitter.com/r66BFPLOMr
Led by manager Elisabetta Bavagnoli, Roma Femminile boasts a roster of 22 players. On their maiden voyage in Serie A (at least under this current incarnation, there was another ‘Roma’ side in the league), Bavagnoli is obviously optimistic:
It is a great honour to be here, I want to thank Roma for giving me this opportunity. I want to try and transmit to my players the feeling I had when I entered Trigoria for the first time: a huge desire to build something successful and lasting.
Much like the men’s team, Roma Femminile is lead by a local kid, 27-year-old defender Elisa Bartoli, who returns to her hometown after plying her trade for Fiorentina. Bartoli spoke about the honor wearing the armband for Roma:
To wear the captain’s armband, and represente [sic] all Romans and Romanisti, is an honour and a privilege...I have been waiting seven years to return to my city, I will try to lead this club with everything I have.
You absolutely have to love the symmetry of both clubs being led by Romans, right?
The full roster can be seen here, but the club didn’t include much information beyond their names, though looking at the number of dangling vowels in those surnames, it appears to be largely Italian.
I gotta admit, I’m pretty excited by this, to see a team formed and start from scratch will be quite interesting, but as we mentioned, much like the men, they’ll be chasing Juventus next season.
Serie A Femminile starts in mid-September and we’ll do our best to provide consistent coverage. Stay tuned.