End of the road for Luis Enrique

Roma general director Franco Baldini has announced on Friday that coach Luis Enrique will not continue in charge of the Serie A outfit next season.

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Luis Enrique's future had been up in the air in recent weeks with reports claiming the Spanish tactician would resign after Sunday's game at Cesena - the final game of the campaign.

"We already knew for some time that Luis Enrique would leave," Baldini said to Italian TV station Sky TG 24.

"After the game against Fiorentina (April 25), he had expressed with certainty his intentions. He told us that the right day had arrived to take this decision.

"I asked him to continue until the end of the season.

"Luis Enrique will explain his decision better tomorrow but I believe that he has been physically consumed by the campaign and I don't think he will train again this year."

Luis Enrique, in his first season at the helm of Roma, is under contract with the Giallorossi for a further year.

The Romans have endured a disappointing campaign and will finish no higher than seventh place, thus failing to secure a European finish.

Roma have won just two of their last nine games and head into this weekend's game at Cesena five points adrift of Napoli, who are fifth and hold the last Europa League qualifying spot.

"I don't think our project has failed," Baldini said."Ours is a football style that can be adapted to Italy.

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"From the stats we can see that Roma are first in Serie A in terms of possession.

"We are in fact in the top places when it comes to quality football.

"Of course certain things must be corrected, as our results clearly point out.

"Perhaps our lack of consistency in results has given the idea that our project has failed but that is not the case."

Former Roma coach Vincenzo Montella, currently in charge of Catania, has been strongly linked with a return to the Giallorossi hotseat this summer.

Montella guided Roma to a sixth-placed finish in Serie A last term but was not offered a contract extension to remain at the Stadio Olimpico.

Former Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is also a reported target to replace Luis Enrique.

"I can't say when will we name a new coach," Baldini said. "Since we have known about Luis' departure, we have thought about many individuals but we have not contacted anyone so far."