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Roma midfielder Daniele de Rossi has shocked the club by revealing that he has become disillusioned with life at the Stadio Olimpico, though the Italy international stressed his belief that “the wound will heal itself”.

De Rossi, 27, has been at Roma for his entire ten-year career and has enjoyed hero status among Giallorossi fans, who have supported him through some notable on-field indiscretions.

At the 2006 World Cup, De Rossi had the book thrown at him by FIFA after a violent elbow on USA striker Brian McBride. He was banned for four matches and lambasted in the Italian press for jeopardising Italy’s chances of glory in Germany.

But the Roma supporters stood united behind him and their faith was rewarded in the World Cup final, when he returned to successfully convert the third spot-kick in the Azzurri‘s penalty shootout success against France.

De Rossi, a tenacious defensive midfielder, has continued to be a fan favourite in the interevening years thanks to his all-action approach to the game, but he feels that the Stadio Olimpico faithful’s support is waning – as demonstrated by the way they reacted in the aftermath of his red card in Roma’s Champions League last-16 defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk.

“They used to treat me as one of their own, they would tell me to throw in another elbow, but now the wind has changed,” De Rossi said. “Something here at Roma is changing. For a year and a half, the things I’ve heard that have given me the most pride have come from outside Rome. I have had moments at a low ebb, in which I wasn’t at my best. Do I feel wounded?

“Yes, but I don’t want to play the victim, I don’t want people to come and tell me how great I am. The wound will heal itself. Then, everyone makes his own assessments.”

The English press have interpreted De Rossi’s comments as a sign that he is seeking away from his boyhood club, with Manchester United linked to a swoop for the experienced Italian as a replacement for Owen Hargreaves.

De Rossi’s contract expires next summer and while his father Alberto, a youth team coach at Roma, says his son “would never want to face a future away from Roma, he admitted that “if he expressed himself [in that way], then there is a cause behind it.”

Roma have endured a turbulent season, with Claudio Ranieri sacked after failing to inspire a title charge and the club, now led by Vicenzo Montella, is subject of a takeover bid from American Thomas DiBenedetto, a minorty partner in Fenway Sports Group – the consortium that owns Liverpool.

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Holland captain Mark van Bommel has joined a lengthening injury list after pulling out of the Euro 2012 qualifier against Hungary in Budapest on Friday with a thigh injury.

The AC Milan midfielder will not travel with the rest of the Holland squad tomorrow as he has decided to undergo intensive treatment in a bid to be fit for the return fixture against Hungary at the Amsterdam ArenA on Tuesday.

Van Bommel told the Dutch federation website: ”It is annoying but harmless. We have made every effort for Friday’s game. That did not work.

”The fact that I am staying with the group indicates that we hope for significant progress.”

Coach Bert van Marwijk, who is not expected to call up a replacement for Van Bommel, was already without goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg, winger Arjen Robben and forward Klaas Jan Huntelaar.

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Bayer Leverkusen still hope to tie goalkeeper Rene Adler down to a new contract, but have accepted that convincing him to stay may be tricky if Manchester United make a bid this summer.

Adler, 26, has been at Leverkusen all his career and has established himself as one of the most consistent goalkeepers in the Bundesliga over the past few years.

And with United scouring Europe for a replacement for retiring Edwin van der Sar, Adler’s name has been among those linked with a move to Old Trafford, with the likes of Manuel Neuer, David De Gea and Maarten Stekelenburg also reportedly on their radar.

United’s goalkeeping coach Eric Steele was sent on a scouting mission to Germany last weekend, where he saw Adler keep a clean sheet in Leverkusen’s 2-0 victory over Neuer’s Schalke.

Leverkusen remain hopeful of retaining Adler’s services and discussions about a contract extension are well under way, with general manager Rudi Voller staying calm over speculation linking Adler with a move away from the club.

“It’s a usual circumstance in football to have players being watched by other clubs,” Voller said. “We have the desire to sign a new deal with Rene Adler, this is a fact.”

But Leverkusen executive Wolfgang Holzhauser says he is concerned that negotiations would be difficult should United swoop for the Germany international.

“There have been talks between the club and Rene Adler already, however we are still far off an agreement at this point in time,” Holzhauser told Bild.

“If a club the size of Manchester United comes up, I feel signing a new deal with Rene Adler would not become easier.”

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Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente has hailed Spain team-mate Xavi as the best Spanish footballer of all time.

Xavi is set to earn his 100th cap for his country and has earned rave reviews for his performances for both Spain and Barcelona over the past year. With a nomination for the World Player of the Year and records broken aplenty for his passing at the World Cup, the classy midfielder has been in fine form and now Llorente has labelled him the best.

“Xavi is an unbelievable player, the best Spanish footballer of all-time,” Llorente told Sport.es. “He has won everything in football with Barca and Spain.

“It is wonderful to watch Xavi play. It takes many years at a very high level to do what he does. We are now eager to get a result in these two very important matches. Let’s see if we can do the job and get the points.”

Spain are currently top of Group I with three wins out of three and face the Czech Republic in a Euro 2012 qualifier on Friday before a friendly clash with Lithuania next Tuesday.

Coach Vicente del Bosque has warned his players not to “switch off” against the Czechs as he feels Michal Bilek’s side pose a major challenge.

“They are our biggest threat,” Del Bosque said. “They have great physical and technical qualities. They are very strong and have been one of the best teams in Europe in recent years.

“The worry for us is that most of our players are involved in domestic and European campaigns with their clubs and will continue to be so until the end of the season.

“We need to go into Friday’s game with the right mentality because if any one of us is switched off, it could really complicate things.”

Striker Fernando Torres is certainly sounding the right notes, telling El Mundo Deportivo that the players are focused on retaining their European title.

“The difficult thing in football for national teams is learning to win,” the Chelsea player said. “Spain did after many years of disappointments. There is now another challenge to retain the European Championship, something that nobody has ever done before.”

Valencia midfielder Juan Mata could get a rare start on Friday and is looking forward to the game, despite the distraction of the latter stages of the league campaign in Spain.

“Being selected is very important and takes all our focus now,” he said. “In La Liga it is the most crucial time of the season but that’s after the game against Lithuania.”

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Former Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz has had his six-month ban for allegedly disrupting an anti-doping testing session before last year’s World Cup lifted on appeal.

The Portuguese Anti-Doping Authority handed down the suspension last August after an incident with three of their doping control officers at the Portugal training camp in May.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport today ruled that the former Manchester United assistant’s conduct had not “disturbed the sample collection process or the work of the anti-doping officers”. But the panel did brand his behaviour “unacceptable”.

The CAS ruling said: “After their arrival, the anti-doping officers were approached by Mr Queiroz. Following a discussion, the anti-doping officers left to continue the anti-doping control and, as he was walking away Mr Queiroz uttered some very distasteful and sexually descriptive comments regarding the mother of the ADoP president.”

CAS said no players were directly involved in the incident and there was “no evidence that Mr Queiroz’ behaviour was intended to disturb the doping control”.

The ruling said Queiroz “did not dispute the fact that his comments were both inappropriate and offensive”.

Queiroz, the former Real Madrid coach who had two spells as Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant at Old Trafford, was sacked as Portugal coach two days after a surprise 1-0 defeat to Norway in Euro 2012 qualifying last September.

He announced his intention to appeal against his suspension later that month, meaning he was free to work until the appeal hearing, though he has not found work since then.

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