Roma midfielder Daniele de Rossi says a top four finish must be their target this season.
He said: "We have got to do well because a gap has emerged between the top three teams and the rest in Serie A, so we must fight it out now with Fiorentina, Genoa and Lazio.
"If we finish in fourth place, then we will have had a great season. Now we are working towards rediscovering the right mentality and hard-working culture that we lost last season, myself included."
He included rivals Lazio in that list of contenders for a Champions League spot after they beat Roma to the signature of out of contract Inter man Julio Cruz.
"He is a great player and the club made its own offer, but it is possible to lose these 'derbies' on the transfer market."