The former Spain coach said restoring a winning mentality in the club's players would be his main priority.
De Rossi, who turned 36 on Wednesday, led Roma for the final time in a 2-1 victory over Parma at the Stadio Olimpico in May and finished his stint in the Italian capital with 616 appearances in 18 years.
The World and European champions close out their centenary celebrations with a match against a FIFA World Selection, featuring many of the best players on the planet, on Wednesday.
A 2-1 victory enabled Real extend their perfect home league record and stay two points clear at the top of the table in the Spanish League. \n\n
Spain international striker Alvaro Negredo became ManchesterCity's third major signing of the close-season when he completed his move from Sevilla to the Premier League club on Friday.
Real Madrid returned to winning ways after last weekend's drubbing at Atletico but failed to convince and were whistled by their own fans during a drab 2-0 victory at home to Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday.
Gareth Bale angered Real Madrid team mate Cristiano Ronaldo for the second La Liga game in a row on Saturday.
Diego Costa gave Europa League holders Atletico a dream start against Champions League winners Real by firing them ahead after 49 seconds, knocking down a long pass and smashing the ball into the net from a tight angle.
Spain captain Iker Casillas believes David de Gea is "no longer a future prospect but a strong contender" to play in goal for the national team at Euro 2016. Porto goalkeeper Casillas has been the country's first-choice keeper since 2002 but De Gea is considered favourite to start after a solid season for Manchester United. "De Gea is no longer the future but a strong contender," Casillas told Cadena Cope radio. "It's clear that all of us that are here, we think that we can play. "We are 23 players that play as starters for important clubs and we all believe that we can help the national team but deciding who starts is the coach's job." Spain coach Vicente del Bosque will not make a decision of who will play between the posts until June 13, when his team begins its European Championship campaign against the Czech Republic in Toulouse.
Under-fire Rafa Benitez said Real Madrid needed to be more consistent and also accused his players of easing off in games ahead of Sunday's La Liga clash with his former club Valencia. The Spaniard is the most successful coach in Valencia's history. He led them to La Liga titles in 2002 and 2004, when he also won the UEFA Cup, and is sure of a warm welcome when he walks out at the Mestalla.
Real Madrid lost 2-1 at home to Celta Vigo in their Spanish King's Cup quarter-final first leg on Wednesday to slump to their second defeat in a row following a record winning streak.
Real Madrid dropped points for the third time in seven games since Zinedine Zidane's return as they were held to a 0-0 draw away to Getafe in La Liga on Thursday, which harmed their neighbours' hopes of a top-four finish.
Lionel Messi is set for his first start for nearly two months when Barcelona, fresh from pulverising Real Madrid 4-0 at the weekend, set their sights on Champions League qualification when AS Roma visit the Nou Camp on Tuesday.
It was always going to be a tough task for Rafa Benitez to replace his popular, Champions League winning predecessor Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid and Saturday's woeful 4-0 home defeat to Barcelona has turned the pressure up a notch.
Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez has a full squad available, including forward Karim Benzema, for Saturday's La Liga Clasico at home to Barcelona.
Ronaldo had failed to score in his last four league games for Real and his rotten run in front of goal looked set to continue when his spot-kick was turned away by visiting goalkeeper Roberto.
Real Madrid will have their combative Spain centre back Sergio Ramos available for Saturday's "clasico" against Barcelona but Wales winger Gareth Bale is out, coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Friday.
Real Madrid opened a three-point lead over Barcelona at the top of La Liga when Cristiano Ronaldo scored his eighth goal of the campaign in a 3-1 victory at home to promoted Las Palmas on Saturday.
Zinedine Zidane is unconcerned by suggestions that his Real Madrid side go into Saturday's 'Clasico' against runaway La Liga leaders Barcelona as big underdogs. Real sit third in the table 10 points adrift of Luis Enrique's side, who crushed them 4-0 at the Bernabeu earlier in the season to spark outrage among the Madrid club's fans They vented their frustration on president Florentino Perez and coach Rafael Benitez who was sacked weeks later and replaced by Zidane. The Frenchman, who like his opposite number Luis Enrique played in the 'Clasico' many times, is preparing for his first clash with Barcelona as Real coach and his team, who have won their last five matches in all competitions, head to the Nou Camp in confident mood.
Real Madrid have launched an internal inquiry after their Argentina winger Angel Di Maria was seen to grab his crotch while he was being substituted in Monday's 3-0 La Liga win at home to Celta Vigo.
Barcelona have been drawn to play Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-finals. The other last-four tie will see Juventus, in their first semi-final since 2003, take on Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid, the defending champions.
Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale is fit for Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final showdown at Atletico Madrid after sitting out Saturday's La Liga win at home to Eibar, coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Monday.
A round-up of Wednesday's league stage matches in the UEFA Champions League.
Eden Hazard finally scored his first goal for Real Madrid as his side beat second-placed Granada 4-2 in a highly entertaining game at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday to go four points clear at the top of La Liga.
Cristiano Ronaldo gave Zinedine Zidane a ringing endorsement as Real Madrid coach after their 1-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid in the city derby at the Bernabeu on Saturday.
Cristiano Ronaldo fired Real Madrid to a 4-1 win over Celta Vigo on Wednesday to take Zinedine Zidane's side three points clear at the top of La Liga.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty as Real Madrid and neighbours Atletico were held to draws leaving Barcelona with an eight-point lead at the top of La Liga and 13 matches left.
Atletico Madrid have built a reputation for gargantuan achievements under coach Diego Simeone and have not given up hope of a remarkable turnaround against Real Madrid in Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg.
Atletico aim for Champions League revenge against Real at fourth attempt.
Real are unbeaten since February, winning 10 of their last 12 games. In contrast, Barcelona have won just two of their previous five in all competitions and were dumped out of Europe in midweek.
Bayern left fuming over Champions League 'robbery'.
Real Madrid's Wales winger and record signing Gareth Bale should have recovered from a muscle strain in his left thigh in around 15 days, Real coach Carlo Ancelotti said on Wednesday.
Before Leicester enchanted the sporting world last year with their miraculous Premier League title win, Atletico had worked similar wonders in 2014 by breaking the strangehold of Real Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga.
Barcelona failed to capitalise on Real Madrid dropping points against Villarreal as the La Liga champions were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, while talisman Lionel Messi limped off with a groin injury.
Images from the football matches played across Europe on Sunday
'The only club where her husband replaced me was at Inter Milan where, in six months, he destroyed the best team in Europe at the time' 'And if she takes care of her husband's diet, she will have less time to speak about me'
Barca coach, Luis Enrique says that all is well at Camp Nou and the team is united.
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane says he is unsure of his future at the club despite leading them to the Champions League final.