Roma take on SPAL in their final home game of the decade on Sunday, looking to make amends on two fronts.
The Giallorossi limped over the line in the Europa League on Thursday with a 2-2 draw against Wolfsberger, and a much better performance will be expected on Sunday.
In addition, there is a second wrong to put right, as SPAL beat Roma in both their meetings last season. And while the Ferrara-based side have started the season poorly, they have already beaten Roma’s rivals Lazio this season.
Of all the teams in the bottom half, only 11th-placed Verona have a better defensive record than SPAL. Clearly, their problems have been in the goalscoring department – despite Roma-linked striker Andrea Petagna getting four goals from 14 starts so far.
It makes for an intriguingly-balanced game, then – with both sides having better options at different ends of the pitch. Roma’s backline is decimated by the absences of first-choice centre-back pairing Chris Smalling and Gianluca Mancini, while full-back Davide Santon is also out. Could Juan Jesus be called in from the cold for a first appearance since September, or will it be Mert Cetin alongside Federico Fazio at the back?
Aleksandar Kolarov is expected to return after being rested against Wolfsberger, meaning Leonardo Spinazzola could switch back to the right-hand side of defence in place of Alessandro Florenzi. The captain didn’t help his case for further starts by scoring an own goal in the Europa League, and could return to the bench.
Lorenzo Pellegrini will regain his place as an attacking midfielder after making way for Henrikh Mkhitaryan on Thursday, with the Armenian possibly moving out wide to accommodate for the unfit Justin Kluivert or the out-of-form Cengiz Under. Diego Perotti and Nicolo Zaniolo are also competing for places on either wing.
📋 | SQUAD LIST | 📋
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) December 14, 2019
Here are the players available to coach Paulo Fonseca for our final home match of 2019! 🐺#ASRoma #RomaSPAL pic.twitter.com/45B2E44nHk
It’s the last time Roma will play at Stadio Olimpico until the new year, so they will be hoping to sandwich this decade with home wins, having begun it with a 1-0 win over Chievo back in Claudio Ranieri’s first spell in charge.
The game kicks off at 5pm UK time, and will be shown live on Premier Sports 1.
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