Rudi Garcia's Future with Roma Could Be Decided After the Next 2 Games

Roma have arguably been Italy's best team since coach Rudi Garcia was hired. A record-breaking Juventus side overshadowed a resurgent Giallorossi as they finished second last season. However, a year later the team has disappointed, and the next two matches could determine Garcia's job security.

Feyenoord tied Roma 1-1 at the Stadio Olimpico in the first leg of their Europa League round-of-32 matchup. The return leg at De Kuip is crucial because if Garcia's side does not advance, it will mean that La Maggica will end their season without a trophy.

Assuming Roma are eliminated from the Europa League, it will be a horrific end to the team's season in Europe.

Roma's Champions League performances started off with a bang but ended with a whimper. The Italian club crushed CSKA Moscow 5-1 at home before drawing Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium 1-1. The Serie A runner-up finished the final four games of the group stage with just one point.

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The capital club was demolished by Bayern Munich at home then lost to the German champions in the next match. Roma appeared to have a win secured against CSKA in the following game but conceded late. Man City then defeated the Italians in Rome to clinch a spot in the next round.

Roma were outscored 12-2 in those final four matches. The 7-1 loss against Bayern inflates the goals conceded, but scoring just twice in that span is a terrible number.

The Giallorossi have dealt with injuries all season, including Kevin Strootman, and they also lost Gervinho during the Africa Cup of Nations. On the other hand, many clubs around Europe had the same issues. 

Roma's Champions League group was tough. For them to still be in contention for the round of 16 in the final game is impressive. However, they looked sluggish against Feyenoord and appear as if they didn't want to be in the competition.

Brushing off the Europa League is understandable for Roma. The club is Italy's second-best team on paper, but even second place is starting to slip away. 

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Despite losing just twice in Serie A this season, Roma have drawn nine times. Sampdoria, AC Milan, Sassuolo, Hellas Verona and debt-ridden Parma have earned a point against the Giallorossi. 

Since November 30, Roma have won just three of their last 11 league games. Napoli is only three points behind them, and both sides meet each other again in April. 

Roma's next match after their Europa League showdown in Rotterdam will be at the Olimpico against Juve. The previous game was in October, but Garcia continued to take shots at the Bianconeri in December.

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Roma's next two matches are season-defining. Don't mean to be hyperbolic but so much rides on these two games tomorrow and Monday.

— Julian De Martinis (@JulianDM11) February 25, 2015"

Garcia should focus on the reasons his team continues to drop points against inferior opposition instead of criticizing the team that is nine points ahead of his squad. 

The attack is one of the issues. New signing Seydou Doumbia has only just arrived at the club, so it will take time for him to settle and adjust to Garcia's system. The downside is Roma still doesn't have a goalscoring striker.

Gervinho, Miralem Pjanic, Adem Ljajic, Francesco Totti and Daniele Verde have all played well, but there hasn't been a go-to forward who can bail Roma out of trouble.

Those five players combined to score 29 goals last season. Mattia Destro, now on loan with AC Milan, had 13. Once Doumbia has settled, he should be able to provide the missing touch up front.

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Roma are lacking that so critically. Besides Ljajic and Totti at times, so few of these players seem to genuinely believe they can score.

— Julian De Martinis (@JulianDM11) February 22, 2015"

However, Garcia's team is currently nine points adrift of Juve, and a win by the Old Lady would extend that lead to 12.

The Frenchman needs to be careful. His intense methods could be getting ignored by the team, according to Mina Rzouki of Football Italia, so these next two games might be the final straw.

If Garcia's philosophy is no longer affecting the players and if he ends up with no trophies along with a third-place finish, he'll most likely resign or be sacked.