GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
Roma secured their first home win in over a month on Sunday by beating AC Milan 2-1. Edin Dzeko broke the deadlock with a header after drifting in at the backpost from a corner, giving the Giallorossi a half-time lead. Theo Hernandez levelled things up for Milan after the break, as his shot deflected off Chris Smalling, before Nicolo Zaniolo restored the advantage moments later with a well-executed curled strike. The victory - Roma's first over Milan since October 2017 - means Paulo Fonseca's men keep pace with the top four, ahead of a week which will see them play Udinese and Napoli. Precise Pau In his 10 games as Roma goalkeeper before yesterday, Pau Lopez had yet to be truly tested. Aside from a strong display against Lazio, in which he made six saves, the summer signing was yet to fully convince the fanbase - not so much because of any errors, but because he hadn't been forced into showing what he could do. While the jury may still be out, he showed against Milan that he is a safe pair of hands. While many of the stops he made were routine for a goalkeeper of his quality, many of the efforts that came his way were struck with enough power to potentially cause problems. But Lopez dealt with everything that was thrown at him. The deflection that led to Milan's goal gave him no chance, but elsewhere, he was alert and reacted to every threat posed by the visitors. The man behind the mask If Roma had a fully fit squad, would Edin Dzeko have been playing? One has to wonder if the striker has had to rush back from his jaw injury to accommodate for the several absences in the squad, but he proved that even at 80% of his usual sharpness, he can be a leader from the front. While an argument could be raised as to whether he should have remained on the pitch after an altercation with Milan defender Mateo Musacchio, there can be no debate about the quality he showed thereafter. He was the focal point in attack that fans have become used to seeing, challenging for headers, muscling off defenders and bringing his teammates into play. The masked assassin got the goal he deserved, and adorning the captain's armband, showed what a good leader he is. Keep calm, Kolarov Another of the more experienced players in the squad, Dzeko's former Manchester City teammate Aleksandar Kolarov, endured a mixed afternoon. Towards the end of the game, he showed his bravery in defence by challenging for loose balls with his head, when opponents had raised their studs high. It served as another reminder of the kind of professionalism and commitment that the Serbian exemplifies. However, in attack, there was the sense that everything he was doing was a little rushed. Not for the first time recently, he failed to look up before firing in crosses that were too powerful for any of his teammates to connect to. For a player of his experience, it was uncharacteristic for Kolarov not to compose himself and wait for the attackers to move before making his deliveries. Given the quality he possesses from wide areas, it was a shame that he couldn't pick the right moments to unleash his ability. Veretout growing in authority One player who has really had to step up recently amid Roma's injury crisis is Jordan Veretout. The only fit natural central midfielder in the squad, the Frenchman has had to take on a great responsibility. And once again, versus a club he could have signed for instead of Roma in the summer, he showed that he is thriving in the role. The former Aston Villa man was a driving force, helping Roma retain possession with his accurate passing and determination. With defender Gianluca Mancini deployed alongside him, he was given more of a licence to push on than he may have expected in the absence of Bryan Cristante and Amadou Diawara. Veretout also assumed the responsibility of taking set pieces, and it was from one of his corners that Roma took the lead. Mancini and Chris Smalling both missed great chances from two more of Veretout's corners, blazing free headers wide after being picked out. Deliveries from corners have been an area of struggle for the club in recent seasons, but it finally looks like they have someone who can create chances from such fundamental passages of play. Solid spine Any team needs a strong structure down the middle of the park, and Roma haven't always been able to meet that requirement. Particularly with the amount of absences from midfield, it could have been expected that things could look disjointed. However, Roma took up one of their most solid spines of the whole season. Starting at the back, Federico Fazio and Smalling formed a formidable partnership in defence. Winning an impressive nine aerial duels between them, both read the play well and put their bodies on the line for the team. Further upfield, the positive showings from Veretout, Mancini and Dzeko have already been documented, while attacking midfielder Javier Pastore displayed a good work rate and caught the eye with a couple of nutmegs in the first half. With all six of the central players proving their strength, Roma could impose their dominance on the game. Player Ratings: Lopez 7; Spinazzola 6; Smalling 7; Fazio 8; Kolarov 6; Mancini 6; Veretout 8; Zaniolo 8; Pastore 7; Perotti 6; Dzeko 8 Subs: Antonucci 4; Cetin N/A; Santon N/A Coach: Fonseca 6 Man of the Match: Fazio
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Paulo Fonseca refused to comment on the speculation linking Jack Rodwell with a move to Roma at his press conference to preview the clash with Milan.
Rodwell trained with Roma yesterday, along with ex-Empoli man Marcel Buchel, with a view to the standout player signing as a free agent to cover the club's midfield injury crisis, but Fonseca would not get drawn into revealing how things went for either player - instead confirming that natural defender Gianluca Mancini was likely to continue in the role. "I'll only speak about a player if he's part of the squad," Fonseca said. "If there's any news, we'll tell you about it. Right now, I'm fully focused on tomorrow's game against Milan. "Yes, it's possible [that Mancini plays in midfield], particularly as we don't have many alternatives at the moment. He played well and there's no need to make any changes in that regard." Fonseca also remained coy on the chances of Alessandro Florenzi playing as a winger to compensate for the injuries (and Justin Kluivert's one-match suspension), with Cengiz Under one game away from being fit enough to feature in the squad, Henrikh Mkhitaryan still not back in training, and Diego Perotti not ready for 90 minutes. "At the moment I'm considering all options, given the reduced size of the squad. I'm not ruling anything out in that position. "Perotti has been training with us for a while. He's ready to play, but I don't know if he'll last the 90 minutes. "As for [Javier] Pastore, with the games coming thick and fast at the moment, it's not been possible to do much rotation. It's true that he's played more than he normally would, but we can't afford to make too many changes. "Miki hasn't resumed training with us yet. Cengiz will join up with the group today. He won't be ready for tomorrow, but will be available for the following game." Roma will be hosting a Milan side who have endured a poor start to the season, leading to the sacking of Marco Giampaolo - once linked with taking over the Giallorossi before Fonseca got the job. The Rossoneri have installed Stefano Pioli as their new boss, the former Lazio manager who was sacked by Roma's rivals on the same day that Florenzi scored his first Derby Della Capitale goal in a 4-1 win in 2016. Pioli's first game saw Milan surrender a lead to draw 2-2 with promoted side Lecce, so this could have been one of Roma's best chances to record an emphatic win against a historically strong club. However, with the injuries piling up, it won't be that easy. Star striker Krzysztof Piatek came off the bench to score his first goal from open play this season against Lecce, and if given a starting berth, he will be a dangerous opponent for Roma's defence, which has found a new resolution since Chris Smalling came into the side. The English defender is already being suggested as a target for Roma to sign on a permanent basis after his bright start, but this could be his toughest test yet. The game kicks off at 5pm UK time and will be shown live on Premier Sports 1. Giallorossi Yorkshire editor Samuel Bannister spoke on the SempreMilan podcast this week to preview the game in more detail. Make sure to listen to it here.
Roma had to settle for a point after a fiery clash with Cagliari on Sunday ended as a 1-1 draw - much to the anger of senior figures at the club.
Everyone from president Jim Pallotta to sporting director Gianluca Petrachi and coach Paulo Fonseca - who was sent off at full-time for arguing with the referee - has vented their anger at the officiating, with Roma going behind via a penalty conceded by a Gianluca Mancini handball, and seeing a last-minute winner chalked off for a foul by Nikola Kalinic.
Admittedly, both decisions were probably correct - even though the free kick that was given against Roma immediately before the penalty should never have been awarded - but the referees had no control over the game in general. The club have not seen so many decisions go against them in one game, rightly or wrongly, since the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Liverpool in 2018, when two clearcut penalties were not spotted by the referee, which if converted would have sent Roma into the final. The ramifications of the decisions may not have been so high against Cagliari, but they still cast a large shadow over what should have been an entertaining game between two decent sides, and may come back to haunt the Lupi. But it is important to take a step back from all that. This website was built to talk about Roma, not referees. And if Roma find themselves short of a target by the end of the season, it will likely not be because of the officiating in this game, but some greater theme that prevented the side from getting the results they required. So here is a dissection of the issues that the team could control. Possession play beginning to decline Roma started the season playing their most fluid possession-based football in years. Fonseca quickly implemented his style and, for the first time in a long time, Roma were playing attractive football. Recently, however, that has started to come undone. Not helped by the physical nature of the match or the early injury to Amadou Diawara - with another key component, Lorenzo Pellegrini, already on the sidelines - Roma struggled to string a series of successful passes together. Of course it is difficult when the squad is thin on the ground and has to be rotated often, but there is certainly room for improvement in this aspect of the game. Roma have shown they can do it before. Full-backs falter One area in which injuries have really hit the squad is in the full-back positions. Since the start of the season, only Aleksandar Kolarov and the infrequently-used Davide Santon have avoided time out. Against Cagliari, it was Kolarov and Leonardo Spinazzola who flanked the defence, and neither showed what they are really capable of. In many games, Kolarov's crossing has been an outlet for Roma, but on Sunday it was aimless. His balls into the box were struck without real direction or with so much power that no attacker would ever arrive on the end of them. As for Spinazzola on the opposite side, he had fewer opportunities, but even less came off well for him. Fonseca needs to be wary to keep all his options for these roles on their toes, so that the main choices avoid fatigue wherever possible. Antonucci makes an impression Playing further forward was someone who, like Santon, has not been afforded many opportunities thus far: youngster Mirko Antonucci. The winger, who had a fairly positive pre-season, came on as a substitute for the second game running, although this time he was called into action much earlier to replace the injured Diawara. Of all the attackers, Antonucci looked the most likely to make something happen. Justin Kluivert kept running into traffic, while Nicolo Zaniolo was forced to try and make the most of half-chances, and Edin Dzeko looked weary. Antonucci could consider himself unfortunate to have been taken off in the second half, but that was probably a reflection of the fact that he has not played much competitive football at this level. If he is to be truly integrated into the side, he needs to be given more regular 15 minute cameos here and there, so that he can be ready when called upon. There is something promising to work with. Cristante becoming captain material With Romans Alessandro Florenzi and Lorenzo Pellegrini out of the squad, and Federico Fazio left on the bench, there were a lack of leaders on the pitch. Edin Dzeko wore the captain's armband, but his approach has always been to lead by example rather than words - still undoubtedly valuable, but maybe not what Roma needed in the heat of the moment. The next most senior player, ex-Manchester City teammate Kolarov, fought for Roma's corner at every opportunity when things weren't going their way, but beyond that, it was unclear who the armband would have fallen to if Dzeko had been taken off. Perhaps the most likely candidate would have been Bryan Cristante, someone who is growing in confidence. The midfielder has earned his place in the lineup through his work rate rather than his quality - his passes often went astray in the opening minutes - but that can be enough for him to be a beating heart of this post-De Rossi team. Cristante was involved in the confrontation with the referee after the full-time whistle, as was Mancini. The younger Italian players are showing their passion for the cause.
Fonseca's fury a positive sign The final moments of the match, and the ones that followed the full-time whistle, were even uglier than the action that had taken place on the pitch. Fonseca showed no restraint as he confronted the referee, receiving his marching orders as a result. But, like the players who also made their voices heard, this passion is a good thing going forward. Fonseca seems well suited to dealing with the highs and lows of managing at a club with as much pressure as Roma. He thrives on the rollercoaster of emotions, some of which should maybe be kept a little more in check, but ones that show he is embodying what the fans are feeling. Can a supporter ask for much more in a coach beyond the tactical expertise which Fonseca has already largely established? They want to see a group of people displaying the same passion as them, led by a manager who encourages those kind of expressions. He has only been at Roma for a few months, but it seems that Fonseca has already got caught up in the emotions of what it means to follow this club. Player Ratings: Lopez 6; Spinazzola 4; Mancini 6; Smalling 7; Kolarov 5; Cristante 7; Diawara 7; Kluivert 6; Veretout 6; Zaniolo 6; Dzeko 6 Subs: Antonucci 7; Kalinic 4; Santon N/A Coach: Fonseca 6 Man of the Match: Smalling Roma earned their first away clean sheet by edging Lecce 1-0 on Sunday afternoon, to keep the pressure on the early pace-setters. After losing to Atalanta in midweek, Roma bounced back, with Edin Dzeko heading home his 92nd goal for the club. His former Manchester City teammate Aleksandar Kolarov missed a golden chance to double the advantage, when his penalty was saved. It wasn't as wide a margin as fans would have hoped for, but the important thing was to return to winning ways and continue Paulo Fonseca's unbeaten run on the road. Dzeko developing in the air For a player with a 6'4" frame, Edin Dzeko has never been as suited to an aerial game as many might expect. The striker has flourished with his feet at Roma, using his strength and positioning to reach the numbers he has achieved. While his height is an obvious threat, he hasn't always been able to use it to his advantage. Even at the age of 33, though, Dzeko is showing that a player can still improve. Recently, he has been brilliant in the air, with his last two goals being scored with his head - a last-gasp winner over Bologna, and another game-decider on Sunday. But it was not just in the box that Dzeko demonstrated his importance to the team. Particularly in the second half, he won a number of headers in the middle of the park from long balls forward, creating chances aplenty for the likes of Justin Kluivert and Henrikh Mkhitaryan to run on to. While he has not always been famed for this part of his game, Dzeko has shown a willingness to develop, and as a result, he dominated.
Wasteful wingers That said, Kluivert and Mkhitaryan did not necessarily make the most of the chances that came their way. They were among the prime culprits as Roma demonstrated more poor decision-making in the final third - perhaps epitomised when Nicolo Zaniolo failed to play an easy pass across to Kluivert towards the end of the game, which would almost definitely have led to a second goal. Had Roma been as effective in the final third as they were in the middle of the park, the scoreline could have been three or four. However, Kluivert fell back to his old tricks of being indecisive and not backing himself with his pace - with which he created danger on the odd occasion that he trusted himself - whereas Mkhitaryan's first touch was loose. Both players are capable of more and have shown their qualities on several occasions in the past, but were equally frustrating against Lecce. Diawara dictates the play One of the players who succeeded in having an impact on the game behind the attackers was Amadou Diawara. Making his first Serie A start for Roma (and only his third appearance overall), the summer signing from Napoli was always an option for his teammates in the centre of midfield. Diawara offers a very different style to the man he replaced in the starting lineup, Bryan Cristante (who seemed to commit more fouls when he came on than he managed touches of the ball in a five-minute cameo). Whereas Cristante has earned his starting berths this season through graft and energy, also playing some decent long balls, Diawara performs better in the short game. He rarely misplaced a pass as he gave fluidity to Roma's transition from defence to attack. He surely warrants more appearances in bigger games. Language no barrier for leader Smalling Another summer signing making his second start of the season was Chris Smalling, who kept his place in the side after a man of the match debut against Atalanta. This time around, he played just as well, and was able to gain the three points and clean sheet that his performance deserved. His tackling was well-timed as ever, save for the foul that earned him his first yellow card in Serie A. But aside from his playing ability, the thing that impressed most was the way he held the backline together. With the relatively inexperienced Gianluca Mancini starting alongside him rather than Federico Fazio, Smalling assumed the senior role, and despite his grasp of the Italian language only being basic so far, he appeared to have no problems instructing his teammates where to go, or remonstrating with the referee if he disagreed with a decision. Just as he wants, the Englishman has the potential to grow into a leader during his time with the club. Busy schedule catches up with Kolarov Overall, it was an afternoon of mixed performances, despite the positive result. One of the players towards the lower end of the spectrum was Kolarov - who in general has been outstanding this season. However, against Lecce, the struggles of a 33-year-old being ever-present - in a system which requires him to cover a lot of ground - were evident.
Consecutive weeks of Serie A following midweek action led to signs of fatigue from the usually dynamic full-back, whose crosses did not reach their usual level of accuracy. And while it would be unfair to over-analyse his penalty miss - he is generally excellent from 12 yards - there was something about his run up which did not look right, perhaps signalling tired legs. That said, he remains one of Roma's strongest players, and will undoubtedly be relied on again from the spot. Jordan Veretout, who often assumed the responsibility for Fiorentina last season, was the only real alternative taker on the pitch, and one miss should not move Kolarov down the hierarchy. Fortunately, Leonardo Spinazzola has returned to fitness, meaning the Serbian should be able to get the rest and recuperation he needs and deserves after a blistering start to the season. Player Ratings: Lopez 6; Florenzi 6; Mancini 5; Smalling 7; Kolarov 5; Diawara 7; Veretout 6; Kluivert 5; Pellegrini 7; Mkhitaryan 6; Dzeko 7 Subs: Zaniolo 6; Spinazzola 5; Cristante N/A Coach: Fonseca 6 Man of the Match: Diawara Roma are aiming to bounce back from their first defeat of the season when they take on promoted side Lecce on Sunday afternoon.
Midweek saw Paulo Fonseca's unbeaten start to his Roma career come to an abrupt halt after a 2-0 defeat at home to Atalanta. However, there is little time to rest and reflect, as Sunday's clash provides an appropriate opportunity for seventh-placed Roma to return to winning ways. Lecce, who like Roma are known as the Giallorossi in a nod to their shirt colours, are competing in Serie A for the first time in seven years, and have started with six points from their first five games. Key players among their squad include former Roma midfielder Panagiotis Tachtsidis, one-time Milan striker Gianluca Lapadula, and captain Marco Mancosu - who has started his first season in the top flight this decade with four goals from midfield. Since regaining their Serie A status, Lecce have not yet earned a single point at home. So far, their only triumph at Stadio Via del Mare has been against Serie B side Salernitana in the Coppa Italia third round. Meanwhile, Roma are still on an unbeaten away run stretching back to March - although only two of those six matches were wins. Fonseca is expected to switch things up again for this encounter after deploying a rotation policy so far, to varying degrees of success. Among the more fatigued players who could drop out are Federico Fazio and Bryan Cristante - with their places possibly being taken by Gianluca Mancini and Amadou Diawara. With Mancini returning from a one-match suspension, the squad is also bolstered by the inclusion of Leonardo Spinazzola, with a long-term injury ruled out after the full-back limped off in the Atalanta defeat. With options limited, the former Juventus man could start at right-back again. The game kicks off at 2:00pm UK time, and will be shown live on Premier Sports 2.
Roma face one of their toughest tests of the season so far when they host Atalanta on Wednesday night, in the first midweek Serie A match of the campaign.
Atalanta broke up the natural order in the league last season by finishing above the likes of Roma, Milan and Lazio in the table, earning their first ever Champions League qualification. Their European curtain-raiser ended as a 4-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb, however - one of several mixed results they have endured so far. Roma are one point above them in fourth place, having started with an unbeaten run that now stretches to five games in all competitions under Paulo Fonseca. Atalanta showed last season that they can pose a threat to any team, so will be eager to be the ones to put a halt to Roma's run. One player Roma poached from their opponents over the summer was Gianluca Mancini, the defender who was sent off in the win over Bologna at the weekend. That suspension means English centre-back Chris Smalling will come into the lineup for his debut, having shaken off a knock which had kept him sidelined since the Derby Della Capitale draw with Lazio. That swap is unlikely to be the only change that Fonseca makes, given the intense schedule facing the team at present. Fatigue appeared to be creeping in for some players on Sunday, so this could be another opportunity to rotate the squad - not that it will be an easy match. Bryan Cristante is another former Atalanta man who has been a regular for Roma in the first few games, and formed part of an effective double midfield solution with Jordan Veretout in the last two league outings. That partnership could continue, although Amadou Diawara will also be eager for opportunities. Nicolo Zaniolo was also on the bench at the weekend, but will be pushing for a starting berth again, having replaced Justin Kluivert early in the second half. The game kicks off at 6pm UK time, and will be shown live on Premier Sports 1.
A last-gasp winner from Edin Dzeko gave Roma their third consecutive win on Sunday, as Bologna were beaten by the Giallorossi.
For Paulo Fonseca's first game away from the Stadio Olimpico, Roma reverted to the lineup that had beaten Sassuolo the week before, having rotated for the Europa League win over Istanbul Basaksehir. And while it wasn't the most exhilarating performance, they got the job done for the third time in eight days. Aleksandar Kolarov gave Roma the lead with a brilliant free kick, before being adjudged to have made a foul in the box, leading to Bologna's equaliser from the penalty spot. Pau Lopez made his best save yet for Roma to deny Roberto Soriano, before Gianluca Mancini was sent off for a second yellow card. Even though it looked like the game was heading for a draw, some quick thinking from Jordan Veretout took Roma up the pitch in the dying seconds of the game, before Lorenzo Pellegrini picked out Dzeko with a perfect cross, leaving the striker with a simple header to make it 2-1. It means the unbeaten start to the season continues, with Roma rising into the top four for the first time since May 2018. Roma also become the first team since Juventus in February to beat Bologna at their own stadium.
Kolarov crossing the outlet Roma made full use of their width thanks to both full-backs pushing on. Between Kolarov and Alessandro Florenzi, it is clear that the former has the far superior crossing ability, and Roma took advantage of that. Kolarov played in more inviting deliveries in the first half alone than many full-backs manage in an entire game. And his free kick goal showed yet again just how good he is at striking a ball.
Sometimes the Serbian doesn't get the credit he deserves, but he has started the season in scintillating form. However, the one disadvantage of the full-backs being pushed up so high - Kolarov's average position was practically in line with the wingers - was that Bologna exploited the areas they had vacated when countering. For a mid-table side, a wing duo of Ricardo Orsolini and Nicola Sansone can be really dangerous, and the pair caused problems for Roma throughout the game. It is something for Fonseca to reflect upon against the bigger teams. Disjointed attack down to fatigue In contrast, Roma's front four struggled to find any kind of connectivity for large parts of the game. Striker Dzeko and attacking midfielder Pellegrini cut frustrated figures, while Justin Kluivert was peripheral and Henrikh Mkhitaryan faded after a decent start. Fortunately for Roma, there does not appear to be any identifiable long-term problem that is being masked by good results. Instead, the quartet's struggles can be attributed to the fact that they have all played a lot of football already this season. With another midweek game coming up against Atalanta, Fonseca will have to get the balance right in his rotation policy again, to make sure he has a fresh attack, that still makes the most of his in-form players. Pellegrini under pressure If there was one question to be raised of Pellegrini, it would relate to how he is coping with his new-found game-changer role. The Roman has been a level above the competition in terms of his quality in the first few games, but Sunday was one of those days where nothing really came off for him in normal time. Is that because he is adapting to the increased pressure on him to match his impressive standards regularly? Does he have the mentality to thrive in a leadership role, with his team relying on him more than ever? In added time, he suggested the answer was yes. After Veretout's surge forward, Pellegrini had the ball at his feet, knowing that it was likely to be Roma's last chance to steal a winner. When it mattered most, he plucked out a perfect cross for Dzeko, giving the Bologna defence no chance. It may have been a struggle for most of the 90 minutes, but Pellegrini has shown that when the going gets tough, he can still make a difference. Wake up call for Mancini Given that he was essentially signed as the replacement for Kostas Manolas, Gianluca Mancini hasn't quite lived up to the standards of his predecessor yet. After a mixed start to the campaign, with some good and some bad displays, the former Atalanta man received Roma's first red card of the season, due to two bookable offences. The first challenge was definitely a yellow, and while the second appeared a little harsh, it should still serve as a wake up call for the defender. He is still finding his place in the Roma backline, and once he settles in among his new teammates, he should be fine. However, he may have a thing or two to learn about concentration and reading the game from centre-back partner Federico Fazio - who turned in another positive display. Veretout finding his place One new addition who seems to need no time at all to fit in is Veretout, the architect of the winning goal. The former Aston Villa and Fiorentina player started a second consecutive Serie A game in midfield, and showed some positive signs. Early on, his range of passing was impressive - just like midfield partner Bryan Cristante, who has been transformed recently. Veretout began to give the ball away a bit in the middle of the match, and picked up a yellow card in the 64th minute. But after that booking, he knuckled down and got back to what he had been doing in the first half an hour or so. His determination in the run leading to the goal was commendable, and fans will surely relate to the passion he showed in his celebration after Dzeko nodded the ball in. Roma might just have found the man to transform their midfield.
Player Ratings: Lopez 7; Florenzi 4; Mancini 5; Fazio 7; Kolarov 7; Cristante 7; Veretout 7; Kluivert 5; Pellegrini 5; Mkhitaryan 6; Dzeko 6 Subs: Spinazzola 5; Zaniolo 5; Jesus N/A Coach: Fonseca 6 Man of the Match: Cristante
As Roma's Europa League campaign gets underway, there is a general sense of optimism that the club will take the competition seriously and be among the contenders for the trophy.
Paulo Fonseca has already confirmed that Roma have "big ambitions" for the competition, with the coach having previously reached the quarter-finals with Braga in 2015-16, before being knocked out by his next club, Shakhtar Donetsk. Over the summer, Roma assembled an experienced squad, with the lineup now featuring several players who have good history in European competition. Here is a brief look at the furthest stage each player has reached in both the Champions League and Europa League. Davide Zappacosta Champions League best: Round of 16 (Chelsea, 2017-18) Europa League best: Winner (Chelsea, 2018-19) The first of five former Europa League winners in Roma's squad, Zappacosta got his hands on the trophy at the first time of asking last season. The previous year, he had seen his new Chelsea side qualify behind Roma in their Champions League group before being eliminate in the Round of 16. Having never competed in Europe before leaving Italy to join Chelsea, he now has the opportunity to make his mark with a club from his homeland.
Bryan Cristante Champions League best: Quarter-final (Milan, 2011-12) Europa League best: Round of 32 (Atalanta, 2017-18) The Champions League gave Cristante his professional debut as a 16-year-old, with the midfielder featuring for Milan in a group match. The Rossoneri reached the quarter-finals that year, but he played no further part. He was more involved when Atalanta reached the Europa League Round of 32 in his final season in Bergamo, scoring three goals as he played in all of their eight games in the competition. Only Josip Ilicic scored more for them in Europe that year. Juan Jesus Champions League best: Semi-final (Roma, 2017-18) Europa League best: Round of 16 (Inter, 2012-13; Roma, 2014-15 and 2016-17) One of several players to follow on this list whose best European run came with Roma, Jesus was a starter in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final loss to Liverpool. It was the Europa League that gave him his first taste of European football, though, when he reached the Round of 16 in his first full season with Inter - a feat he has repeated twice with Roma since. Chris Smalling Champions League best: Runner up (Manchester United, 2010-11) Europa League best: Winner (Manchester United, 2016-17) An unused sub in both games when his Fulham side faced Roma in the 2009-10 group stage on their route to the Europa League final, Smalling went one better by winning the competition with Manchester United in 2017, playing all 90 minutes of the final. At the start of his United career, he had even come close to winning the Champions League, watching from the bench as his side lost to Barcelona at the end of his first season there. He had played nine games on their journey to the final.
Lorenzo Pellegrini Champions League best: Semi-final (Roma, 2017-18) Europa League best: Group stage (Sassuolo, 2016-17) Pellegrini was a member of the squad that got Roma further than ever before in the Champions League era, starting the second leg of the semi-final against Liverpool in which his side came within a whisker of another extraordinary comeback. Preparing him for that adventure, and his time at Roma as a whole, had been a two-year stint at Sassuolo, where he helped Eusebio Di Francesco's side qualify for Europe for the first time, before they were knocked out in the group stage. Diego Perotti Champions League best: Semi-final (Roma, 2017-18) Europa League best: Winner (Sevilla, 2013-14) Brought to Europe by future Roma sporting director Monchi in 2007, Perotti worked his way through the ranks at Sevilla, with his time with the La Liga club culminating in victory in the Europa League in his last year with the club - although at the time, he was out on loan at Boca Juniors. It was the first of three consecutive triumphs in the competition for Sevilla, but Perotti wasn't able to play in Europe again until joining Roma in 2015. He scored in the first leg Champions League semi-final defeat to Liverpool, giving some late hope of a Stadio Olimpico comeback. Edin Dzeko Champions League best: Semi-final (Roma, 2017-18) Europa League best: Quarter-final (Wolfsburg, 2009-10) For someone who spent four-and-a-half years with high-spending Premier League giants Manchester City, it may come as something of a surprise to learn that neither of Dzeko's best runs in each of Europe's two competitions came while at the Etihad Stadium. Instead, it was as part of a successful Wolfsburg side that he reached the Europa League quarter-finals, having dropped down from the Champions League the year after winning the German title. Nearly a decade later, he was the only Roma player to score in both legs of the CL semi-final against Liverpool. Aleksandar Kolarov Champions League best: Semi-final (Manchester City, 2015-16; Roma 2017-18) Europa League best: Round of 16 (Manchester City, 2010-11 and 2011-12) Another part of the unfortunate Roma side to lose in the Champions League semi-finals, Kolarov was the only member of that squad for whom the last four wasn't uncharted territory. Man City were edged out by eventual champions Real Madrid in the semi-final in 2016 - certainly a higher calibre opponent than the ones who had curtailed their furthest Europa League era ventures, with Dynamo Kyiv and Sporting CP being responsible for their Round of 16 exits in Kolarov's first two years at the club. Pau Lopez Champions League best: Group stage (Tottenham Hotspur, 2016-17) Europa League best: Round of 32 (Tottenham Hotspur, 2016-17; Real Betis, 2018-19) Despite being Roma's most expensive goalkeeper signing of all-time, Pau Lopez is yet to fully convince in his short time at the club. Unless Fonseca opts to rotate, the Europa League could be where Lopez comes into his own, but he has limited international pedigree. He never played in his sole season at Tottenham, where their European record was poor, meaning his Europa League debut only came last season, with Real Betis. They conceded six goals over two legs as they lost to Rennes, despite having won their group with just two goals conceded. Mert Cetin Champions League best: N/A Europa League best: N/A Roma's least high-profile summer signing, Cetin has never featured in European competition - and is unlikely to change that this year, having been left out of the squad for the group stages. Cengiz Under Champions League best: Semi-final (Roma, 2017-18) Europa League best: Play-off round (Istanbul Basaksehir, 2016-17) Under has grown into one of Roma's most important players over the last two years, but is yet to feature in the Europa League group stages. His only previous taste of the competition came when Fonseca's Shakhtar beat Istanbul Basaksehir - one of Roma's Group J opponents this season - in the play-off round. He secured his move to Roma the year after, playing his part in the run to the last four of the Champions League in his first taste of the competition. Davide Santon Champions League best: Winner (Inter, 2009-10) Europa League best: Quarter-final (Newcastle United, 2012-13) The only Champions League winner in Roma's squad isn't even a regular starter. Santon made one appearance on Inter's road to the 2010 final, where they beat Bayern Munich 2-0. He returned to Inter in 2015, a couple of years after reaching the Europa League quarter-finals with Newcastle. Nikola Kalinic Champions League best: Round of 16 (Atletico Madrid, 2018-19) Europa League best: Runner up (Dnipro, 2014-15) Roma's new back-up striker won the UEFA Super Cup in 2018 (as an unused sub), but was not part of the Atletico Madrid side that qualified for the event by winning the previous year's Champions League. Instead, his best ever CL run came last season, when Atletico, like Roma, lost in the Last 16 despite winning their first leg match. He has scored in a European final though, giving Dnipro the lead in the 2015 Europa League final, which they weren't able to defend against Sevilla. Federico Fazio Champions League best: Semi-final (Roma, 2017-18) Europa League best: Winner (Sevilla, 2013-14; 2015-16) Kalinic's Dnipro couldn't topple Sevilla in that game, which was sandwiched between the two Europa League titles that Fazio won with the club. In 2014, he played all of the final as Sevilla beat Benfica on penalties in Turin, while having returned to the club on loan from Tottenham for the latter half of the 2015-16 season, he was not used as the Spaniards beat Liverpool - who exacted their revenge on Fazio at Roma two seasons later in the Champions League semis.
Jordan Veretout Champions League best: N/A Europa League best: Round of 32 (Saint-Ettiene, 2016-17) One of the least experienced members of Roma's squad in terms of international activity, midfielder Veretout has only played in the Europa League once before. His Saint-Ettiene side topped their group after navigating the qualifiers in 2016-17, but were the first knockout victims of Smalling's Man Utd, who beat them 4-0 on aggregate in the Last 32. Nicolo Zaniolo Champions League best: Round of 16 (Roma, 2018-19) Europa League best: N/A Zaniolo's Roma debut actually came in the Champions League, before he had even played in Serie A. The midfielder made the most of his opportunities and became the youngest Italian player to score a CL brace in the Round of 16 first leg against Porto. The return leg did not go to plan, however, as Roma crashed out of the competition. Now, he will have his first chance to play in the secondary competition, the Europa League. Gianluca Mancini Champions League best: N/A Europa League best: Round of 32 (Atalanta, 2017-18) Mancini had the chance to be part of Atalanta's first ever Champions League side this season, and thus to make his debut in the competition, but sacrificed it to move to a bigger club in Roma. Another player upon whom expectations will be high despite a lack of European experience, Mancini did not play in any of the games when Atalanta reached the Round of 32 in his first season there. The year after, he played three times, scoring once, as they lost in the play-off round on penalties to Copenhagen. Alessandro Florenzi Champions League best: Semi-final (Roma, 2017-18) Europa League best: Round of 16 (Roma, 2014-15 and 2016-17) A loyal player whose only permanent home has been boyhood club Roma, Florenzi will be hoping to captain Roma to success this season. In the past, when serving as a vice-captain behind Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi, he reached the Europa League Round of 16 on two occasions. Roma lost to Fiorentina and Lyon respectively, before he was part of the first post-Totti side, which instantly reached its furthest ever stage in the Champions League era. Javier Pastore Champions League best: Quarter-final (PSG, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16) Europa League best: Group stage (Palermo, 2010-11; PSG, 2011-12) For a player of his pedigree, Pastore's record in Europe makes for rather disappointing reading. The attacking midfielder was part of a PSG side still finding their feet on the continent, as they lost in the quarter-finals in four successive seasons. In the Europa League - which he will be playing in for the first time in eight seasons - he has never made it beyond the group stage, as both Palermo and PSG finished third when he was involved with them. Leonardo Spinazzola Champions League best: Quarter-final (Juventus, 2018-19) Europa League best: Round of 32 (Atalanta, 2017-18) Despite being at Juventus since 2012, a series of loan spells meant Spinazzola's European debut was delayed until 2017, when he helped Atalanta to the Round of 32, playing in six games. His form in Bergamo was rewarded with a Juventus return the next season, but they couldn't beat Dutch giants Ajax in the quarter-finals. He played just one game in the tournament, but will have more opportunities in Europe with Roma. Amadou Diawara Champions League best: Round of 16 (Napoli, 2016-17) Europa League best: Quarter-final (Napoli, 2018-19) One of the players who could benefit from Fonseca's rotation policy in Europe, Diawara's only previous experiences in continental competitions came with Napoli. In his first year there, they reached the Round of 16 of the Champions League, the furthest the club has ever been in the tournament. After coming third in their group in each of the last two seasons, they dropped down to the Europa League, losing to RB Leipzig in the Round of 32 in 2018, and reaching the quarter-finals in 2019, where they were beaten by Henrikh Mkhitaryan's Arsenal without scoring. Mirko Antonucci Champions League best: Semi-final (Roma, 2017-18) Europa League best: N/A Only included on Roma's secondary squad list for the group stage, the Italian youngster came on as a last-throw-of-the-dice sub in the second leg against Liverpool in the Champions League two seasons ago. Daniel Fuzato Champions League best: N/A Europa League best: N/A Signed from Palmeiras last summer, Fuzato is yet to make his senior debut for Roma, and has not been included on the squad list for this year's group stages. Henrikh Mkhitaryan Champions League best: Quarter-final (Shakhtar, 2010-11; Borussia Dortmund, 2013-14) Europa League best: Winner (Manchester United, 2016-17) The last Europa League winner on this list, Mkhitaryan started and scored in Man Utd's 2-0 win over Ajax in 2017. After moving to Arsenal, he should have had the chance to play in another final last season, but political tensions between host venue for the final, Azerbaijan, and Mkhitaryan's home country, Armenia, meant he did not travel as his side lost to Chelsea. In the Champions League, he has reached the quarter-finals on two occasions. In 2011, after beating Roma in the Round of 16, Mkhitaryan's Shakhtar lost to Barcelona. Later, the Dortmund side he joined in 2013 had reached the CL final the season before, but weren't able to repeat the feat.
Antonio Mirante Champions League best: Round of 16 (Roma, 2018-19) Europa League best: Group stage (Sampdoria, 2008-09) Veteran keeper Mirante made his Champions League debut with Roma last season, playing once in the group stage versus Viktoria Plzen and then in the first leg of the Round of 16 against Porto. Roma won that leg, but when Robin Olsen returned in his place for the second leg, it was an extra time elimination for the Giallorossi. This year, Mirante may be given the chance to play in the Europa League for the first time in over a decade, having previously kept goal for Sampdoria on three occasions over two seasons in the tournament. Justin Kluivert Champions League best: Round of 16 (Roma, 2018-19) Europa League best: Runner up (Ajax, 2016-17) Kluivert had to watch on as a spectator as his former Ajax side marched to the semi-finals of last season's Champions League, having moved to Roma last summer. He could only reach the Round of 16 with his new side, but it was still better than the qualifying eliminations he had experienced in his previous two seasons with the Dutch side. The first of those led them to the Europa League final, where Kluivert stayed on the bench as Mkhitaryan helped fire Man Utd to the trophy. Now, the duo are teammates, and with both having unfinished business in the competition, they will be hoping to go far with Roma.
Roma had a busy summer transfer window, bringing in 10 new players to bolster the squad for incoming coach Paulo Fonseca.
As a result, it was a naturally busy summer for journalists, who sought to find out what Roma's next moves would be. All the reports had to start somewhere, so here is an attempt to trace who broke the initial news of each of the signings Gianluca Petrachi made. Leonardo Spinazzola The first player to arrive this summer was Spinazzola, as part of a swap deal that sent academy graduate Luca Pellegrini to Juventus. Although it was near the start of the mercato, this proposal seemed to materialise very quickly. The two clubs were linked with several player exchanges over the summer, with Roma reportedly interested in Gonzalo Higuain and Mattia Perin, and Juventus pursuing Nicolo Zaniolo as well. When Juventus made their first attempts for the Italian midfielder, Pagine Romaniste's Davide Moresco appeared to be the first to suggest that Roma had asked for Spinazzola as well as Higuain as part of the swap (report dated 21st June). Although Zaniolo and Higuain stayed put at their respective clubs, the seeds were planted for Spinazzola. La Stampa claimed that the entire swap between the five players was on, in a report dated 26th June, but obviously only two players ended up making the moves. Various sources reacted two days later, when it emerged that a meeting had taken place to conclude the Spinazzola-Pellegrini swap. Sky Sport's Fabrizio Romano revealed in the early afternoon that the two clubs were at work over the swap of the duo, with Il Tempo's Filippo Biafora confirming shortly after that the deal would be weighted such that Juventus earned €8m. Gazzetta Dello Sport were the next to react, revealing Spinazzola's price as €29m - €0.5m away from the value that was confirmed when the deal was made official two days later. Amadou Diawara Also arriving towards the start of the window was Diawara, in another swap, seeing Kostas Manolas move to Napoli. It was known for some time that Manolas was likely to leave, but Napoli emerged as a surprise destination at first. When it became clear that they weren't willing to pay the defender's €36m release clause, talk of players being included in the deal began. Sky Sport were the first to suggest that Diawara had been offered to Roma on 14th June, even though they admitted the Giallorossi would have preferred Dries Mertens. Consequently, Corriere Dello Sport said the following day that the channel was now open for Roma to take Diawara - while also reporting on Roma's request for the Belgian striker. Il Messaggero revealed the structure of the operation on 19th June. With Roma approaching a financial deadline, the paper confirmed that Manolas' move would be posted on the present year's balance, but the club would wait until 1st July to confirm Diawara's signing. The green light came when, on 25th June, Di Marzio said that the deal would be completed that week, with Romano giving his famous "Here we go!" tweet the next day to declare the operation as finalised. There appeared to be a last-minute glitch over personal terms, with RomaPress denying Di Marzio's suggestion that the contract had been agreed on 27th June - although they admitted there were not likely to be many problems in reaching a conclusion. Biafora revealed on the 28th that the negotiations were finally done, with the player agreeing a five-year contract and the clubs agreeing a €19m fee. Two days later, Di Marzio corrected him, announcing the price as €21m, which was confirmed in Roma's official announcement the next day. Pau Lopez It was clear for quite some time that Roma needed a new goalkeeper, with Robin Olsen being dropped before the end of the season. As mentioned above, Perin was one of the options listed, but Roma eventually chose Pau Lopez from Real Betis. La Repubblica revealed that Petrachi was considering the Spaniard on 13th June, shortly before Di Marzio claimed he was the first name on Fonseca's list, even if the €25m valuation was too high. 48 hours later, Di Marzio dealt fans a blow the same day by revealing that the initial €20m offer had been rejected. Ultimately, Roma reached an agreement with Betis by removing their right to 50% of the sell-on fee of Antonio Sanabria - with Di Marzio again being the one to reveal their plans to do this, on 18th June. In Spain, El Confidencial were confident that an agreement had been reached on 2nd July, worth €18m plus the Sanabria clause. Three days later, Romano proclaimed that the documents would be exchanged within 24 hours and Di Marzio revealed the medical was scheduled for the 8th. He was confirmed the next day - although no-one got the actual fee, €23.5m, correct. Gianluca Mancini Possibly the longest-running link of the 10 players to join was defender Mancini. The Italian had been a target for Petrachi's predecessor Monchi in January, after Tuttomercatoweb claimed on 5th November that Roma (and Inter) had gone to scout him in Atalanta's clash with Bologna the previous day. The idea of Manolas leaving was already likely in January, and Gazzetta said on the 3rd of the new year that Mancini was the plan as his replacement, with the price likely to be €25m. Mancini's agent did not deny Roma's interest in an interview with the paper the next day, but detailed the defender's plan to stay in Bergamo until the end of the season. Mancini eventually signed on loan with an obligation to buy, and the first to understand this structure was Il Giorno, who revealed that Roma would deploy a Cristante-style operation to sign the player on a €5m loan and €20m obligation as far back as 6th January. However, the picture soon changed, with Monchi walking away from Roma at a turbulent time in March. He was replaced on an interim basis by Ricky Massara, before Petrachi officially took over at the start of July - although the former Torino man appears to have been having a say in Roma's business a while before that. Il Giorno revived the reports on 23rd March, becoming the first to reveal that Mancini was still in Roma's thoughts despite Monchi's exit, with Atalanta ready to sell and the capital club the most likely buyer. With Manolas' departure confirmed on 30th June, Biafora said that Mancini was one of two names being considered as a replacement, with Betis' Marc Bartra the other. On 5th July, Tuttomercatoweb revealed the player had agreed a contract until 2024 on a €2m salary - while delivering the all-important development that a fee of €25m had been agreed with the club. TMW then said Fonseca had given his approval to the move on the 9th as the final hurdles approached, as La Stampa's Matteo De Santis and Il Tempo's Alessandro Austini agreeing that he would be the next arrival. De Santis confirmed it would be a loan with an obligation to buy, totaling €26m - although ReteSport suggested the agreement was for a two-year free loan, with a payment of €21m plus €4m in bonuses. Many sources expected the deal to be closed within a matter of hours, but it actually took a little longer - enough time for De Santis to reveal that the figures would be a €2m loan, plus an obligational payment of €19m, and a further €5m in add-ons. When the deal was made official the next day, on the 17th, Roma confirmed they had got a better deal - with the price comprising a €2m loan, a payment of €13m, and an additional €8m. Jordan Veretout
Arriving shortly after Mancini was the subject of another protracted transfer saga, that of Jordan Veretout. The French midfielder is another player whose links with Roma can be traced back to the Monchi days, with Corriere Della Sera claiming him as a target for last summer all the way back in April 2018, although his move obviously did not occur that year. Monchi's interim replacement Massara was also said to want him, via a ForzaRoma.info report in April this year. By the summer, it became clear that the Fiorentina man was going to be a target, with Di Marzio revealing on 9th June that Fonseca was keen on him and contacts had already been made. The next day, Calciomercato claimed he was the most likely candidate to replace departing legend Daniele De Rossi. Veretout was in high demand though, with Napoli and AC Milan also heavily linked. However, by the 17th June, Corriere Dello Sport were confident that Roma were ahead of the latter at least, while Tuttomercatoweb went one step further four days later by revealing that Roma were in pole position. A number of meetings took place with his agent, with the first coming on Monday 24th June - revealed three days earlier by Gazzetta Dello Sport's Nicolo Schira. On 2nd July, Sky confirmed that the next meeting was to be on the next day. It must have had some impact on the player, as Fiorentina director Daniele Prade revealed on the 4th that Veretout wanted to leave. Eventually, Milan and Napoli dropped away, with the key being revealed by Di Marzio on 10th July - the fact that Roma had surpassed them with a cash only offer. The decisive final meeting came on 16th July, revealed the day before by Di Marzio, with Biafora confirming that after three hours of face-to-face, an agreement had been reached for a five-year contract. But it was Di Marzio who had beaten him to the announcement by six minutes, revealing he would cost €17m plus €2m in bonuses - missing that the deal would actually be a €1m loan and €16m obligation to buy, plus the bonus €2m. Distance still remained with Fiorentina, warned Calciomercato the next day, but Biafora and Di Marzio were separated by a matter of seconds again on the 18th when they confirmed that the total agreement had been reached, and that he could undergo his medical the next day. In the end, he did arrive on the 19th, but took his medical the day after. Mert Cetin
The least famous name to be brought in this summer, and therefore surely one of the more difficult to get information on. Biafora got there first on 15th August, also being able to confirm - correctly - that one more centre-back could arrive after Cetin. The understanding of his €3m price tag came from his native Turkey, where Fanatik editor Yakup Cinar was able to confirm the details shortly after Biafora's announcement. Davide Zappacosta It was clear for some time that Roma needed a new right-back, with many outlets reporting interest in Elseid Hysaj. The rumours of Zappacosta being an alternative actually originated from Calciomercato on 4th June, although they didn't think Chelsea would let him go. Il Messaggero were the first to understand that he was not an alternative to Hysaj, but the more likely arrival, on 7th August. With Chelsea boss Frank Lampard confirming he would have to find a solution eight days after, a meeting materialised, according to Tuttomercatoweb, on 18th August, with the hypothesis becoming ever stronger. By the 20th, Di Marzio could confirm that an agreement had been met, and he would take his medical the day after, when his move was made official. Chris Smalling The speed at which Smalling's move to Roma was arranged is well-documented, with the defender joining the club on 30th August. One day earlier, Austini had revealed that the Englishman could be the 'Mister X' he said Roma were considering as an alternative to Dejan Lovren or Daniele Rugani. Things escalated quickly from there, with Romano confirming within the next 10 minutes that an agreement for a dry loan worth €3m had been met. Nikola Kalinic
Roma completed two senior signings on deadline day, both of which happened fairly quickly. The first to be announced was striker Kalinic, with there being whispers for a few weeks that he would be the replacement if Patrik Schick left. RB Leipzig ultimately cut it very fine to sign Schick, but once they did, Roma could unveil Kalinic. The first to suggest Roma's consideration of a loan for Kalinic was Sky Sport, on 22nd August, reporting that contacts with his entourage were advanced and Fonseca had given the green light to his potential signing, on loan with an option to buy. The next update came on 30th August, when Biafora revealed that Kalinic also had an offer from Qatar, but was waiting for Roma. Calciomercato.com said the details had been agreed with Atletico for a loan and €10m option to buy - €1m shy of the actual value that was to be confirmed two days later. The same site were the ones to reveal that he would fly in on 1st August to take his medical the next day. Henrikh Mkhitaryan
In one of the most exciting and surprising moves of the window, Roma completed their summer business with the last-minute acqusition of Mkhitaryan on loan from Arsenal. The primary announcement came very late on 1st September, via Romano at 10:14pm BST, with Austini claiming he would arrive on loan with an option to buy seven minutes later. Although such an option was not officially announced, there is hope that Roma could make his signing permanent if he has a good season. |
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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