Roma take part in their final away game of 2020 on Sunday when they face Atalanta.
For the Giallorossi’s penultimate fixture before the winter break, they travel to Bergamo to battle with one of their rivals for the top four.
Atalanta have finished above Roma for the past two seasons, but that will have to be turned around this year if Paulo Fonseca’s side are to return to the Champions League places.
Sunday’s game will be a good test of their credentials. Roma haven’t won away at Atalanta since the opening day of the 2017-18 season, so putting that right would be a good statement of intent.
Roma go into this game six points above Atalanta, having played a game more. A victory would help increase the distance from their rivals.
Fonseca can call upon an almost full-strength squad for the trip. Davide Santon is back in the squad after recovering from injury, and Bryan Cristante returns from suspension. That means Javier Pastore and Nicolo Zaniolo are the only senior absentees.
Atalanta, on the other hand, are without one of their most influential players. Alejandro ‘Papu’ Gomez seems to be coming to the end of his time with the club after a reported falling out with coach Gian Piero Gasperini; he has not been called up by the hosts.
Embed from Getty ImagesRoma’s backline will still have to be aware of their other danger men, but that gives them one less thing to worry about.
Fonseca gave little away about his team news at his pre-match press conference, other than the fact that he will not make too many changes from the side that beat Torino in midweek.
The coach suggested that Pedro, Cristante and Gonzalo Villar were all options to start, but did not confirm if they would. He also refused to say whether it would be Pau Lopez or Antonio Mirante in goal.
All will become clearer later, with the game kicking off at 5pm UK time. It will be available to watch live on Premier Sports 2.
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