GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
Roma will look to make it into the qualification spots at the halfway point of the Champions League group stage when they face CSKA Moscow tonight.
A win would lift Roma into at least second place - depending on how Real Madrid fare against Viktoria Plzen - after three games, ahead of the return fixture with the Russians in a fortnight. However, it won't be plain sailing, as CSKA have proven themselves to be a stern challenge to Roma's aspirations of making the knockout rounds. Tonight's opponents currently lead Group G after stunning Real Madrid on matchday two with a 1-0 win. It has become clear that CSKA pose a significant threat to Roma's likely target of finishing second. Croatian attacking midfielder Nikola Vlasic has scored in both of CSKA's group stage games so far, including a 95th-minute equaliser against Viktoria in September. He also found the net in their most recent Russian Premier League game, a 2-0 win over Anzhi on Friday. Roma's defence, which has not been water-tight recently, must be on their A-game to stop him. However, one key man who will be absent for the visitors is goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev, who was sent off against Real Madrid and so will miss the game through suspension. Akinfeev has been hugely important for the club over the years, a one-club man who serves as their captain. CSKA's two alternative keepers have not made as many appearances in their whole careers put together as Akinfeev has in this season alone, so this will be a boost for Roma's strike force. Who will comprise Roma's attack remains to be seen. Edin Dzeko endured a frustrating afternoon against SPAL on Saturday, but with Patrik Schick only just recovering from a muscle problem, the former is likely to start. Cengiz Under should flank him on the right, with Justin Kluivert and Stephan El Shaarawy competing for a place on the left wing. Crucially, Kostas Manolas is in the squad after missing the loss to SPAL. Roma missed his solidity in Saturday's game, and his experience can benefit Roma tonight. Two men who won't be playing though, are Argentine duo Javier Pastore and Diego Perotti, who are both injured. The game kicks off at 8pm UK time. Can Roma get back to winning ways? Projected Roma lineup:
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It was a record-breaking night on Tuesday as Roma recorded their biggest ever win in the Champions League.
Eusebio Di Francesco's side made it three wins out of three with a 5-0 hammering of Czech champions Viktoria Plzen, with Edin Dzeko becoming the first ever Roma player to score a Champions League hat trick. Cengiz Under and Justin Kluivert also got in on the act with goals, the latter with his first for the club. Goal one: Edin Dzeko (1-0) The match began in an ideal fashion as Dzeko fired Roma into a quick lead. Just three minutes into the game, the striker put the Giallorossi ahead with a left-footed strike across the keeper. Steven Nzonzi gave Roma their attacking intent with a pass out wide to Aleksandar Kolarov, who then played Dzeko in down the left channel. The Bosnian was able to exploit that space thanks to the movement of left winger Kluivert. The Dutch attacker went deep to play a one-two with Nzonzi before the defensive midfielder moved the ball to Kolarov. As soon as Dzeko acknowledged the space, he moved into it, beating the offside trap and then charging in at goal. He placed the ball across goal with the inside of his foot, an exemplary calm finish. Goal two: Edin Dzeko (2-0) Dzeko's opener saw him draw level with Giuseppe Giannini in 10th place on the club's all-time goalscoring chart, and this goal meant he earned that position outright. After an attack had broken down, Nzonzi used strength and aerial prowess to win the ball back, with Alessandro Florenzi taking the ball and playing it immediately to Cengiz Under. The Turkish attacker got the ball out of his feet and then cut inside. With little pressure on the ball, he was able to float in a cross, picking out Dzeko at the back post. As a Plzen defender misjudged the flight of the ball, Dzeko was able to bring it down easily with his chest, then he half-volleyed the ball into the back of the net from close range, powering the ball home with his laces. Goal three: Cengiz Under (3-0) In a fluid second half move from Roma, Under made it 3-0 with a composed finish. Bryan Cristante received the ball deep and turned into a space, spreading the play to Kolarov. The left-back needed no invitation to carry it down the line, before he played it inside to Dzeko. The number nine played a one-touch pass round the corner for Lorenzo Pellegrini, who demonstrated his newfound effectiveness as a trequartista by controlling the ball and playing it into Cengiz's path. Under's movement inside meant he was unoccupied and had found a space to drive into. When he saw Pellegrini was about to play him in, he raced forward with a burst of pace to meet the ball. As the keeper rushed out, Cengiz placed the ball across his body, extending the advantage with his second goal of the season. Goal four: Justin Kluivert (4-0) There was a first goal in Roma colours for summer signing Kluivert on his Champions League debut for the club. After being left out of the matchday squad for the Real Madrid game, it will have been a massive confidence boost for him to score. This move highlighted his hunger and desire to get forward, making himself available in forward positions. Once again, Nzonzi proved himself to be an effective midfield pivot, dictating the direction of the play. The Frenchman received the ball in his own half with his back to goal, but quickly changed the momentum by turning and picking out Pellegrini. The Italian played an excellent and intelligent long ball over the top, having spotted Cengiz's forward motion. The ball landed in Under's path, and while the attacker was shooting across goal, his opposite winger in Kluivert was bursting into the box. The keeper could only palm Under's effort away, meaning Kluivert was there for the follow up, smashing the ball into the back of the net to become Roma's youngest ever Champions League goalscorer at the age of 19. Goal five: Edin Dzeko (5-0) Dzeko rounded off a special night for himself and the team by completing his hat trick in the dying minutes of the game. From a corner on the right, Florenzi whipped in an outswinger. He struck the ball in a way that made it rise higher than a usual corner, meaning it went deep in the box. Dzeko sidestepped to follow the motion of the ball, getting into a position where he barely needed to jump to meet it. He connected cleanly thanks to his positioning and the speed of the ball, guiding it into the bottom corner. In the process, he completed the perfect hat trick: a goal with his left foot, one with his right foot, and one with his head. An opportunity for Roma to get off the mark in the Champions League awaits, as Viktoria Plzen visit on Tuesday night.
Roma's European campaign didn't get off to the ideal start with a 3-0 loss at Real Madrid a fortnight ago. However, tonight's clash with the Czech champions offers Eusebio Di Francesco's side the chance to get a foothold in the group stages, as the Giallorossi look to continue the upwards momentum. After a slow start to the season, Roma have now won two games on the bounce, including a 3-1 win over Lazio on Saturday, a result that Di Francesco claimed felt like two wins in itself in a press conference. Buoyant from overcoming their rivals, Roma will be hoping they can use the rediscovered positivity to defeat their opponents tonight. Roma are without Javier Pastore, Daniele De Rossi and Diego Perotti for the game all through injury, meaning Di Francesco could revert his more customary 4-3-3. Justin Kluivert and Cengiz Under are expected to occupy either flank, which will be the first time the highly-rated youngsters have lined up from the start with each other. Who will occupy the space between them remains to be seen, with Patrik Schick preferred against Frosinone and Edin Dzeko returning against Lazio at the weekend. They have just the one goal between them this season, and it's something that could start to become a concern if it continues. There is a place in the squad again for Nicolo Zaniolo, who surprisingly started the match against Real. The young midfielder did reasonably well on his debut considering the circumstances, but still has a lot to learn, and needs to play in games like tonight's to build his confidence up. That's not to say Viktoria will be an easy task. They drew with CSKA Moscow in their Champions League opener, having taken a two goal lead. Their league form has been mixed, with wins over SFC Opava and Sparta Prague, but losses to Slavia Prague and Jablonec in the month of September. They still sit joint top of their divisi0n after 10 games though, and will want to make more of an impression on the European stage than they have in the past. This season is the third time they have made it to the group stages of the Champions League, but they have never progressed further. An upset tonight could help them change that. In the 2-2 draw with CSKA, both their goals were scored by Czech striker Michael Krmencik, who could pose a threat again tonight. Since returning to Viktoria in 2015 after a series of developing loan spells, he has scored 47 goals in all competitions, from just 92 appearances. It's an efficient record and one that his international teammate Schick must be envious of. Perhaps Schick will be given the nod ahead of Dzeko tonight given his familiarity with some of the opponents, although Dzeko's strength and hold-up play could be crucial against a physical opponent. The game kicks off at 8pm UK time. Possible Roma lineup: Olsen, Florenzi, Manolas, Fazio, Santon, Nzonzi, Cristante, Pellegrini, Under, Schick, Kluivert Roma's Champions League campaign began in defeat on Wednesday night, as Real Madrid earned a 3-0 victory at the Bernabeu. In a tough match for the Giallorossi, chances were few and far between, while Robin Olsen had to make some important saves to keep the score down. Unfortunately, his net was breached three times. Here's a look at all three goals. Goal one: Isco (1-0) Roma had nearly reached half time while preserving their clean sheet, when Isco found the back of the net from a free kick. From just outside the box, he chipped it over the wall and into the bottom corner, leaving Olsen stranded. The free kick was conceded needlessly by Daniele De Rossi, who tugged Isco's shirt as the attacking midfielder was about to receive the ball on the edge of the box. De Rossi had played well until that point, but didn't need to commit the foul. Kostas Manolas and Federico Fazio were behind the ball, so could have been able to block it, while Olsen could have made a save. Roma's captain picked up a yellow card for his troubles, and Roma went behind. In terms of the goal, perhaps Olsen was stationed slightly too far to the left, leaving a big space for Isco to aim at. Before the kick was taken, he could be seen yelling at his wall to move right, but they seemed well-positioned in the end. Nonetheless, it was a great piece of technique from the Spaniard, which gave Real a deserved lead. Goal two: Gareth Bale (2-0) In the second half, Real doubled their advantage with a pacy counter attack. In the move, they showed just how effective they are as a unit, with each individual member contributing their high skill levels to the goal. Roma lost possession on the left wing, and Los Blancos made an effective break forward. Luka Modric received the ball in the middle and saw space in front of him to exploit. As the pacy Gareth Bale surged forward on the left wing, Modric picked him out with an inch-perfect through ball. Kostas Manolas tried to keep up, but it was to no avail, as Bale found the far corner of Olsen's goal with a perfectly-placed finish. Goal three: Mariano Diaz (3-0) Wow. What a goal. Not much could be done about Real's final goal as substitute Mariano Diaz sent a rocket into the top corner. Receiving a through ball from Marcelo, Mariano took a touch out of his feet, wrongfooting Manolas with his trickery, before sending the ball flying beyond Olsen's reach. It was a thunderbolt. Manolas couldn't even really be blamed for being turned so easily, as he was trying to show Mariano onto his weaker foot. The Spanish attacker was just too quick for the defender, and finished with a goal that had to be applauded. Video from Real Madrid YouTube
Real Madrid were a class above Roma in their 3-0 win last night, but did any of Eusebio Di Francesco's players stand out for praise?
It was a tough start to life in this year's Champions League, with the team offering little in attack and struggling in defence. However, it was always going to be difficult against the European champions. There was a mix of individual performances; some worked hard, others less so, while some didn't represent themselves in the best light. Here are Giallorossi Yorkshire's player ratings for the match. Robin Olsen - 7 Olsen made a handful of important saves to limit the damages. None of those saves were spectacular, but they still required good positioning, movement and reflexes. While some players in front of him didn't do their jobs, Olsen stayed alert to the danger. He wasn't really at fault for any of the three goals, all of which were perfectly placed as far from his reach as possible. Without him, it could have been worse. Alessandro Florenzi - 5 The right-back struggled to keep up with the skill and trickery of left winger Isco. Florenzi tried to get into advanced positions, but when he did, he didn't recover quickly enough as play broke down. In the second half especially, a lot of Real's attacks came down the left-hand side, and Florenzi was completely out of the picture. He needed to defend with a bit more nous. Kostas Manolas - 5.5 It was a difficult afternoon for the backline, as Real's front three caused all kinds of problems. Manolas put in a big effort as always, but it was just too much to ask in the end. He showed desire to get back when Real Madrid broke past the defence, but he couldn't make enough blocks or tackles to reduce scoring chances for the opponents. Federico Fazio - 5 Started the game sluggishly, but grew into it slightly later on. He was caught out by the movement of the Madrid attack, as his opponents found pockets of space. Fazio was sometimes found wrong side of his marker and in the first half looked like he couldn't keep up with the pace of the play. He wasn't as bad in the second half, but still looks like a shadow of the Comandante that Roma fans have come to know and love. Aleksandar Kolarov - 4 Like his fellow full-back Florenzi, Kolarov struggled with the threat posed by Real's wingers. The Serbia captain wasn't quick enough to track Gareth Bale, who had a lot of success throughout the 90 minutes. Kolarov still looks tired from his excessive minutes on the pitch last season. His mental sharpness was also off. For example, late in the second half, Roma won a free kick for offside, offering the chance for a breather and to set up some time on the ball. But Kolarov played the ball quickly, into a strange area, and it was intercepted, leading to yet another chance for the Real strike force. He needed to use his experience more, while Eusebio Di Francesco needs to be wary of overplaying him. Daniele De Rossi - 7 Roma's captain defended with his heart and soul, but it wasn't enough. For most of the first half, he intercepted loose balls and made vital blocks, leading by example. However, just before the break, he picked up a yellow card for a tug back on Isco. It wasn't De Rossi's smartest moment, as the player he fouled scored from the resulting free kick. Other than that mistake, De Rossi was one of the better performers on the night. Steven Nzonzi - 5 Nzonzi played in a slightly wider role than usual, and still looks like he's two or three weeks away from full match fitness. He was tasked with marking Toni Kroos, and he did manage to limit the German's impact, but not as much as was necessary. He needs to be quicker going into tackles and closing down opponents, which should come with more fitness. Nicolo Zaniolo - 5.5 A surprise inclusion on the teamsheet, Zaniolo made his Roma debut in one of the toughest games in world football. The 19-year-old didn't pass the test with flying colours, but he didn't fail either. He gave away possession too often, but in other patches of the game he did well enough, in part justifying his selection. He deserves more - and easier - opportunities. Cengiz Under - 5.5 Under was a positive attacking influence at times, but decision making is still an area for improvement for him. In the second half, he ran towards goal and could have played Edin Dzeko in, but took on a shot instead. He needs to use his vision more to spot players in better positions. Other than that, he was lively and wanted to have a go at Keylor Navas' goal. In a game where Roma didn't have many chances, his willingness to attack has to be applauded. Edin Dzeko - 5 It was a frustrating night for Dzeko, who saw little of the ball. He will have been disappointed not to get more touches or chances, but that's to be expected when travelling to a location as difficult as the Bernabeu. His hold up play almost came in useful a couple of times, but not enough for Roma to put Navas' clean sheet in danger. Stephan El Shaarawy - 5 El Shaarawy's impact on the game was minimal. The winger didn't get on the ball often enough, let alone breaking in behind the Madrid defence. He was brought off in the second half and there can't have been too many complaints. Like Dzeko, he'll have been disappointed with the low amount of touches he got, but he needs to impose himself on the game more. That said, he did make an effort tracking back, so he did help the team in some respects. Subs: Lorenzo Pellegrini Replacing Zaniolo, Pellegrini was the first substitute to be brought on by Di Francesco, but didn't have a major impact. He needs to start offering more on a regular basis. Diego Perotti Perotti came on for El Shaarawy, but his game followed a similar pattern to the man he replaced. He saw little of the ball on the left wing. Patrik Schick The striker replaced Nzonzi as the final substitution in a tactical change. He had one wild shot which he should have done better with. Coach: Eusebio Di Francesco - 4.5 His decision to start Zaniolo in such a tough game is the major talking point, but another should be the continuing issue of a lack of press in the midfield. This is something that can be coached, but it didn't show much sign of improvement after the break. His position as coach isn't as untenable as some people are making it out to be - it's been five games - but he knows Roma are in a rough patch. On the night, he set up his side to limit chances for their opponents, but it didn't exactly work. It will be interesting to see what approach he goes for in the return fixture, given how Roma tended to do better against Champions League opponents the second time they faced them last season. Di Francesco will have to show what lessons he has learnt from this encounter. Roma lost 3-0 to Real Madrid on their Champions League return, kicking off the 2018-19 European season in defeat.
Isco scored a free kick on the stroke of half-time to put the 13-time European champions ahead, before Gareth Bale and Mariano Diaz completed the scoring in the second period. As a result, Roma remain winless since the opening day of the season. Here are the main talking points from the match. Zaniolo's baptism of fire Nicolo Zaniolo was certainly thrown in at the deep end, given his first Roma start away at the home of the Champions League holders. There couldn't have been many tougher starts for the 19-year-old, who has never played in Serie A. Not only was he up against one of the best teams in the world, his personal battle was against the world's best midfielder, Luka Modric. Zaniolo did alright on his debut, but was nothing spectacular, and certainly didn't announce himself on the world stage as a wonderkid. He did get a decent share of the ball, but gave it away a few too many times. He needs to improve his composure if he is to play in games like these at this stage of his career. Eusebio Di Francesco's decision to give him his Roma debut in this game will be put under question; surely he should've played a Serie A game beforehand to get used to the pace of top flight football. Meanwhile, Ante Coric, who is also yet to feature in the league, was sat at home, not called up to the squad. Coric has experience of the Champions League from his time with Dinamo Zagreb, so could have been a better option. Nonetheless, Zaniolo did alright, and he certainly deserves to be given some opportunities in more games further down the line, although preferably in easier games than this. Ultimately, he was thrown into the lions' den, and while he came out relatively unscathed, the lions definitely won the battle. Full-backs go missing Real Madrid had a lot of joy down either wing, with Isco and Gareth Bale causing problems for Alessandro Florenzi and Aleksandar Kolarov respectively. Too many times, the full-back duo were caught wrong side of their marker; sometimes, they were nowhere to be seen. Both offer an outlet as an attacking threat, but in a game like this, Di Francesco needed his full-backs to play a bit deeper than usual, to limit the threat from Real's stars. Unfortunately, that didn't happen, and Real reaped the benefits of using the width when Roma's full-backs were stranded high up the pitch. Midfield press still needs improvement It was a problem in Sunday's game against Chievo, and it was a problem once again last night. Roma's midfield didn't press the ball quickly enough, allowing Real Madrid to thread balls through and control possession. It's understandable why Roma might have wanted to sit deeper than they usually would, but more energy was needed when closing down the ball. When closing down an opponent, the final yard is the most important, but the midfield trio of Daniele De Rossi, Steven Nzonzi and Zaniolo didn't get there quick enough. Consequently, Real dominated the ball as expected, while Roma offered little resistance. Olsen keeps the score down A few eyebrows were raised when Roma signed Robin Olsen in the summer, and while he's no Alisson, he played his part in this game. The Sweden number one made several decent saves to keep Real at bay. The scoreline could've been much larger in Real's favour, but Olsen was always on his toes, tipping shots over the bar or around the corner. In total, he made eight saves to relieve the intense Real pressure. Travelling support was excellent Shifting the attention away from the pitch, Roma's fans were excellent throughout. The Bernabeu is one of the most intimidating stadiums in Europe, and the Real fans certainly showed they know how to make a noise last night. However, the Roma fans who had travelled to Spain were still audible for large sections of the game, their support unwavering. Sadly, it couldn't inspire the team to perform better on the pitch, but the players should appreciate the levels of support they were given by the crowd. Roma’s Champions League campaign gets underway tonight with an away tie against current holders Real Madrid.
Eusebio Di Francesco guided the Giallorossi to the semi-finals of last year’s competition, beating Real’s great rivals Barcelona along the way. Roma will be looking to stage another unlikely upset tonight, against one of the pre-tournament favourites. This year’s campaign couldn’t start with a much trickier game, as Real have won the last three editions of the competition. In terms of competitive meetings between the two sides, Los Blancos have won six out of ten, with Roma claiming three victories. Di Francesco has selected 21 players for the trip to the Spanish capital. Javier Pastore misses out through injury, while Ante Coric and Daniel Fuzato have not travelled with the squad. Opponents Real Madrid have started the season strongly despite losing main man Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus in the summer. They are unbeaten after four games in La Liga - only Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao are also yet to taste defeat in the Spanish top flight. Following Ronaldo’s departure, Gareth Bale and Marco Asensio have stepped more into the limelight, and will look to cause problems for Roma’s full-backs tonight. Bale has already contributed three goals and two assists from four La Liga games this season, and after scoring a brace in last year’s final, is certainly one to be wary of. More centrally, the danger man will be Luka Modric, who captained Croatia to the World Cup final this summer and may have just prised the Ballon D’Or away from the grasp of Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the process. Roma need to ensure Modric doesn’t have time to dictate the play, or else it could be a long night. Realistically, Roma aren’t expected to get anything out of the game, but the same was said about the Barcelona fixture last year. However unlikely it is, Di Francesco will be certain to instil his players with the belief that they can cause an upset and take at least a draw. If that doesn’t happen though, Roma shouldn’t get too disheartened, as long as they’ve put in a hard-working performance. It’s a long campaign and there are five more group stage fixtures after this; tonight’s isn’t the game on which Roma will be judged. Fans in the UK can watch the game on TV (yes, TV!) on BT Sport/ESPN from 8pm, when the game kicks off. It’s time to return to the European stage and enjoy the drama it will bring. Whatever tonight’s outcome, Roma must do their fans proud with a big effort and show that the Champions League is where they belong. Daje Roma. Roma discovered their three group stage opponents for the Champions League last week, being drawn with Real Madrid, CSKA Moscow and Viktoria Plzen.
The Giallorossi will be hoping to recreate last season's impressive form on the European stage, and will fancy their chances of qualifying from the group. On paper, it looks easier than last year's group, which Roma still managed to win, but it does contain the current holders in Real Madrid and two tricky Eastern European opponents. Here's an in depth look at all three of Roma's Champions League opponents. Real Madrid Last season: Winners Real Madrid beat Liverpool 3-1 in the final courtesy of two spectacular goals by Gareth Bale. Karim Benzema had given them the lead after a mistake from Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius. Former Roma winger Mohamed Salah was forced off injured in the first half. To reach the final, Real emerged from a difficult group, which featured Tottenham Hotspur, Borussia Dortmund and APOEL. In the knockout stages, they beat three domestic champions in PSG, Juventus and Bayern Munich. The quarter final against Roma's Italian rivals Juventus was particularly impressive, as Los Blancos demolished the Old Lady with a 3-0 scoreline. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a memorable overhead kick against the club he now represents. Key player: Luka Modric Following Cristiano Ronaldo's summer departure, there is now an opportunity for other stars to step into the spotlight and take the role of Real Madrid's main man. The most talented member of their squad is Luka Modric, the Croatian midfield genius who was voted as the best player in last season's competition. A gifted creative player, Modric is dangerous for any defence, with his exceptional ability at passing and shooting. Confident on the ball and capable of opening up defences, he will be a handful for each opponent he faces. This summer, he guided Croatia to the World Cup final for the first time in their history, winning the Golden Ball for his individual displays. The last meeting: 2018, ICC Real Madrid and Roma have already faced each other once this year, in a pre-season friendly as part of the International Champions Cup. Goals from Marco Asensio and Bale put Real 2-0 up, before Kevin Strootman pulled one back late on, with what turned out to be his last goal in a Roma shirt. In terms of the last competitive meeting, the two faced off in the Round of 16 of the 2015-16 Champions League. Despite a valiant effort from Luciano Spalletti's side, Real won both legs 2-0, curtailing Roma's adventure in the competition that year. The second leg was Francesco Totti's last ever appearance in the Champions League. CSKA Moscow Last season: Group stages CSKA Moscow placed third in Group A of the Champions League last season, finishing behind Manchester United and Basel but ahead of Benfica. As a result, they transferred to the Europa League, where they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Arsenal. In the UCL group stages, they did the double over Benfica, but lost both games against Manchester United. They failed to beat Basel at home, meaning they fell three points short of qualification for the knockout stages. Key player: Igor Akinfeev Captain and one-club man, goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev has protected CSKA's goal since 2003. With over 100 caps for Russia, the 32-year-old is an experienced presence and is still capable of upsetting powerful attackers. Last season, he kept 15 clean sheets from just 28 league games, including a highly commendable six in a row between September and October. The last meeting: 2014, Champions League Roma and CSKA Moscow were drawn together in the same group in the 2014-15 competition as well. Neither side made it out of the group that year, with Bayern Munich and Manchester City finishing ahead of them. The most recent meeting, in late November 2014, was the away leg for Roma, and it resulted in a 1-1 draw. Francesco Totti opened the scoring, but Vasili Berezutski equalised in the 90th minute. Ten weeks earlier, Roma had demolished the Russians at Stadio Olimpico with a 5-1 win. Gervinho scored a first half brace, with Juan Manuel Iturbe and Maicon ensuring Rudi Garcia's men went in at the break with a four goal advantage. Sergei Ignashevich scored an own goal early in the second half, before Ahmed Musa grabbed a consolation for the visitors with less than ten minutes to go. Viktoria Plzen Last season: Third qualifying round Viktoria Plzen failed to make the group stages last season after being knocked out in the third qualifying round. After drawing 2-2 with Romanian club Steaua Bucharest away, Viktoria were beaten 4-1 at home to consign them to the Europa League play-off round. They had more success in the Europa League, beating Cypriots AEK Larnaca in the play-offs and topping their group of Lugano, Hapoel Be'er Sheva, and oddly enough, Steaua Bucharest, who had lost their Champions League play-off. Viktoria then overcame Partizan in the Round of 32, before a 3-2 aggregate loss to Sporting CP in the last 16. The Czech side are making their first appearance in the Champions League group stages since 2013-14, and only their second in history. Key player: Jan Kopic Kopic, 28, joined Viktoria from fellow Czech side Jablonec in 2015. Since then, he has made 122 appearances for the club, scoring 18 goals. A midfielder, he made his Czech Republic debut in 2014, and has since scored three goals for the national team. The number 10 scored eight goals for the club last season, second only to striker Michal Krmencik's 16. The last meeting: 2016, Europa League After Roma's failure to qualify for the group stages of the 2016-17 Champions League, Spalletti's side were placed in a Europa League group with Viktoria. The sides met on matchday one, a 1-1 draw in the Czech Republic. Diego Perotti gave Roma a fourth minute lead from the penalty spot, but experienced striker Marek Bakos quickly pulled the hosts level. At home, Roma were more convincing, sealing a 4-1 win over their opponents, with Edin Dzeko scoring a hat trick. The Bosnian forward opened the scoring after 11 minutes, with a sensational curled left-footed strike that he admitted could have been the best goal of his career up to that point. Martin Zeman (no relation to ex-Roma coach Zdenek) equalised shortly after, but Dzeko scored two more either side of an own goal in the second half to confirm Roma's status as group winners. You could see it in his eyes. The way he shrugged his shoulders, how he just turned around and walked away. Radja Nainggolan knew it was too little, too late.
Roma were chasing the game against Liverpool, needing three goals in the last five minutes to take the game to extra time. The clock was running down, and an incredible comeback was looking less and less likely. But that didn't stop Roma going forward. After Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum tried to latch onto Ragnar Klavan's clearance, the ball fell to Maxime Gonalons, who carried it a few yards before laying it off to Aleksandar Kolarov. Instead of whipping in another cross from the left, Kolarov spotted Nainggolan in acres of space, squaring the ball to him. And then it happened. Bang. First time, Nainggolan struck the ball cleanly after letting it run across his body. The ball travelled like an arrow into the bottom corner of Loris Karius' goal. There was nothing the Reds' keeper could do, as it rocketed into the net. Karius' body language said it all - he turned around, stared at the ball for about two seconds, then looked helplessly out at the rest of the pitch. He wasn't angry with himself, for he knew he'd been beaten by a wonder goal. But another man's body language spoke even louder. The architect of the goal himself. Radja Nainggolan had just scored the best goal of his season. He'd found the perfect space to place the ball, and powered it home, intent that it would end up nowhere else. But the Ninja's celebration was muted. He was tired, yes, and probably frustrated, but he could barely muster a smile. Maybe it was because he knew that that goal, and its timing, summed up his entire campaign. Roma, drained of energy, had just four minutes plus stoppage time to find two more goals, which would've sent the game beyond the regulation 90 minutes. In the end, it proved too much to ask. The team had played well in the second leg, but Nainggolan's goal was too late to be the foundations for a comeback. A great goal, too late. It represented the whole 2017-18 season for Radja Nainggolan. Last season, he was scoring goals for fun, shooting rockets from distance that left keepers stranded. The 11 goals he scored in Serie A were crucial to the team's securing of second place. As much as it was Edin Dzeko and Mohamed Salah linking up and claiming the main plaudits, without Nainggolan's help, the team wouldn't have got to the position they did. This season has been different. Roma haven't scored as many goals, and whilst some of that can be attributed to Salah's departure, Nainggolan's ineffectiveness in front of goal has been a key factor. This season, it's just been the four league goals for Radja. Yes, he's been playing in a slightly deeper role, but he's had more than enough chances to reach double figures. Nainggolan has had 58 shots on goal over the Serie A season. However, only 30% of those have been on target. The rest, quite frankly, could have gone anywhere. He hasn't been able to zone in on a target in the same way that he did in 2016-17. As a result, he has scored less than half the number of goals he did last time around. Sadly, he hasn't been able to replicate the wonder strikes he delivered so consistently last season. And, when he finally managed to do so, in May, it was nothing more than a consolation. Nainggolan's goal fell too late to be the spark for anything, and showed what's been missing from his game this year. Radja is a player who knows what he's capable of, but knows he hasn't done it enough this season. Roma bowed out of the Champions League at the semi final stage last night, bringing an end to a remarkable campaign in Europe.
Eusebio Di Francesco's side needed to win by three clear goals to reach the final, and put in a great performance. Sadly, they fell just short, winning 4-2 on the night. Three second half goals - after a James Milner own goal in the first half - weren't quite enough to see Roma through, although they were greeted with rapturous applause upon the final whistle. Roma's mentality shines through Conceding the first goal early on could have been a hammer blow for Roma, who were already up against it. Sadio Mane's opener came against the run of play, and left Roma with four goals to get. However, the Giallorossi didn't shy away from the challenge, and continued to believe in themselves for most of the game. It was a resilient performance, bouncing back to derail the Premier League side and hand them their first defeat of the Champions League campaign. Controversial refereeing decisions It was a game of 'what ifs' for Roma, and several of those revolved around pivotal refereeing decisions. Roma should have had two more penalties in the match, with Edin Dzeko incorrectly being ruled offside before being brought down by Loris Karius, and Trent Alexander-Arnold stopping the ball with his hand. Neither were awarded, adding a flavour of frustration to fans' reflections on the match. Return to back four worked well Di Francesco returned to a 4-3-3 for this leg, after the 3-4-3 used at Anfield was exploited ruthlessly by Liverpool. The change in system was beneficial, as Liverpool created fewer chances than in the first leg, and Roma looked dangerous going forward. EDF was right to go 3-4-3 against Barcelona, but the lesson to be learnt is adaptability to opponents. 4-3-3 was a much better shape to use against Liverpool. A campaign full of pride Roma may have missed out on the final, but still managed to beat their best ever record in the Champions League era. Fans have been delighted at the club's performances across the continent this season, and will have high expectations of what this team can achieve in the future. Di Francesco deserves great credit for instilling a positive mentality on the players, where previous Roma sides would have crumbled. Remember, he had never coached in the Champions League before this season. And his side made it to the last four. What a journey this has been. |
samuel bannister
Founder and editor of Giallorossi Yorkshire, who is also a columnist for Roma's official website about the women's team. Categories
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