GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
It's a make-or-break game for Roma's season tonight, as they look to defend their slender first leg lead over Porto in the Champions League Round of 16.
Roma won the home leg 2-1, but their form since then has been far from convincing, with narrow wins over strugglers Bologna and Frosinone followed by an embarrassing defeat to Lazio. So much so, that several reports suggest that if Roma lose tonight, Eusebio Di Francesco will be relieved of his duties as head coach. However, EDF's Roma have been known to step it up for the European nights, so they will be hoping to build on their first leg advantage to reach the quarter-finals for the second season running. Changes are expected from the team that lost to Lazio, with Antonio Mirante potentially replacing Robin Olsen in goal and centre-back duo Federico Fazio and Juan Jesus expected to be dropped for fit-again Kostas Manolas and ex-Porto man Ivan Marcano. Further upfield, winger Diego Perotti could make just his second start of the calendar year. Roma haven't won an away game in the Champions League knockout stages since beating Real Madrid in 2008, so fate may be against the Giallorossi. However, the form of key players such as Nicolo Zaniolo - who is expected to be fit despite limping off against Lazio - and Lorenzo Pellegrini gives some cause for optimism. The game kicks off at 8pm UK time and will be shown live on BT Sport 3.
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Saturday sees Roma take on Lazio in the hotly anticipated second Derby Della Capitale of the season. It's a game like no other, where time stands still and full commitment is needed from all players. It's a game where a hero can emerge, sometimes out of nowhere, and be the man to lift his side to victory against their bitter rivals. Over the years, it hasn't taken long for some players to make their mark on the Derby. And what better way is there to endear yourself to your new fans by scoring the first time you face their enemies? Here are 10 players who did just that by scoring in their first Rome Derby appearance. Rodolfo Volk (1929) The legendary striker - one of only six players to have scored more than 100 goals for the club - wrote his name in eternal folklore by scoring the winning goal in the first match ever played between Roma and Lazio. The game, which took place at Lazio's Stadio Rondinella, ended as a 1-0 win to Roma, thanks to Volk's 78th-minute strike. The first ever Derby had been won by the red-and-yellow side of the city. Fulvio Bernardini (1930) One man who wasn't involved that historic day was Fulvio Bernardini - although the iconic midfielder returned in time for the reverse fixture, in which he scored the Lupi's first goal. Roma's first ever home Derby, contested at Campo Testaccio, also ended in victory, this time by a 3-1 scoreline. Piero Pastore had put Lazio ahead, but Bernardini levelled things up to ensure Roma did the double over their opponents at the start of a historic rivalry. Arne Selmosson (1958) Swedish striker Selmosson was one of the few players brave enough to directly cross the city divide, joining Roma from Lazio in 1958. He quickly got his new fans on side though, by scoring less than 10 minutes into the first Derby of the season in November. At the time, he was the only player in history to have scored for either side in the Derby - an achievement which went unmatched until Aleksandar Kolarov's goal for Roma against the Biancocelesti earlier this season. Pedro Manfredini (1959) Pedro Manfredini was a goal machine right from the beginning of his time with Roma. The Argentinian came to the club in 1959 and hit the ground running. When Roma hosted Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico in October that year, Manfredini opened the scoring just two minutes in - before adding a second 40 minutes later. He even went one better the next season, becoming one of just five players to ever score a hat-trick in the Derby in a 4-0 win. Vincenzo Montella (1999) The Italian forward always stepped up for the Derby - only three players have scored more in the fixture over the years than him - and it was no different in his first. After joining the club from Sampdoria in 1999, Montella scored a brace as Roma thumped Lazio 4-1 at the Olimpico. It was the first of eight Derby goals for L'Aeroplanino - four of which, of course, came in one match, in March 2002. Mancini (2003) Roma left it late to beat Lazio in the first Derby of the 2003-04 season, but they did so in some style. Summer signing Amantino Mancini opened the scoring, and it was no ordinary finish. He found the net with an exquisite backheel as he latched onto Francesco Totti's free kick. It remains one of the best goals ever scored in the Derby, and set the Giallorossi on their way to a sweet victory. Julio Baptista (2008) Once again, the bragging rights went to Roma in the season's first Derby in 2008-09, and another new arrival was the difference. 50 minutes in, Julio Baptista rose to send the ball into the bottom corner with a deft header back across goal. The stadium erupted as the deadlock was broken, and Roma held on to clinch all three points. Edin Dzeko (2015) Edin Dzeko's first season at Roma was a shadow of what he would go on to achieve with the club, as he struggled for form in front of goal. However, he did put the right foundations in place to become the Roma legend that he later would, by scoring in both Rome Derbies that season. His first goal was in the 2-0 win in the 'home' fixture, coming from the penalty spot 10 minutes in, before Gervinho wrapped up the victory. Stephan El Shaarawy (2016) In the reverse fixture the next April, Roma ran riot, outclassing their rivals in a 4-1 win. Stephan El Shaarawy had begun his life in Rome on fire, having sealed a January move to the capital. He continued his fine goalscoring run by giving his side the lead in the 15th minute, before Dzeko, Alessandro Florenzi and Diego Perotti (also playing in his first Derby) went on to round out the impressive triumph. Lorenzo Pellegrini (2018) After returning to his boyhood club in the summer of 2017, Lorenzo Pellegrini would have been looking forward to featuring in a Rome Derby. Unfortunately, he was an unused substitute in both clashes with Lazio that season. However, he finally got his chance in the seventh matchday of the present campaign, and he certainly took it. On the stroke of half-time, the midfielder opened the scoring in Roma's favour with a cheeky backheel after finding a space beyond the goalkeeper. What a way to make your mark on the Derby Della Capitale. Who's next? Nicolo Zaniolo didn't take part in that Derby, but has now established himself as a key part of the team. He's quickly proving himself as a sharp shooter, so will he be able to bag his first Derby Della Capitale goal at the weekend? Or - as has often been the case in these games - will an unlikely hero emerge from elsewhere? Could Justin Kluivert rise from the shadows to put Lazio to the sword? Or perhaps a more defensive player, like Rick Karsdorp - if he is fit enough - might be the one to make a difference? It could be anyone's game, but looking at this list of players, the squad will need little inspiration as they once again look to take all the points from their greatest rivals. Roma have the chance to leapfrog AC Milan and reclaim fourth spot when they face the Rossoneri on Sunday evening.
The race for Champions League qualification is hotting up, with Roma and Milan just two of arguably five sides who have a chance of joining Juventus, Napoli and Inter in the top four. Milan occupy the final Champions League spot at present, but that could change tomorrow. However, it is Milan who will go into the game more confident, with the two sides having contrasting fortunes in their midweek Coppa Italia matches. Whilst Roma were humiliated by Fiorentina, Milan knocked out Napoli after a brace from Krzysztof Piatek on the Pole's first start for the club. Piatek also scored in his only appearance against Roma yet, when the Giallorossi beat Genoa in December, and no doubt he will be a danger man again. Milan also brought in Lucas Paqueta in the January window, and the Brazilian has hit the ground running, starting all five games since he joined. Roma have limited options to combat him in midfield, with Steven Nzonzi and Bryan Cristante both ruled out through suspension. Daniele De Rossi is in the squad again, and despite only recently returning from injury, he may have to start alongside Lorenzo Pellegrini in one of the deeper midfield roles. Wingers Diego Perotti and Cengiz Under are also absent from the squad, although Primavera players Alessio Riccardi and Gianmarco Cangiano have been called up - the latter coming off the back of a hat-trick in the U19 game against Milan today. The reverse fixture at San Siro ended as a 2-1 win for Milan thanks to Patrick Cutrone's late winner. The last time the sides met at Stadio Olimpico also saw Milan win, with goals from Cutrone and Davide Calabria. Roma will be looking to put that record right as they look to turn their form around in their bid to finish above Milan for the sixth season in a row. Some reports have indicated that a Roma loss could signal the end of Eusebio Di Francesco's time as head coach, but other sources suggest he will be given until the end of the season regardless. Either way, it's an important opportunity to bounce back and answer his critics. Can the Giallorossi disrupt the momentum that Milan are slowly building? Roma fans in the UK can watch the game on TV via Premier Sports 1 from 7:25pm. Roma will look to continue the good form from previous weeks as they return from the international break with an away tie against Udinese.
The Giallorossi are unbeaten in their three games in November so far, with the most recent result being a 4-1 thrashing of Sampdoria. They will have to negotiate the fixture without key defender Kostas Manolas, who picked up an injury on international duty with Greece, and captain Daniele De Rossi, whose spell on the sidelines continues. Diego Perotti is also out. In his pre-match press conference, Eusebio Di Francesco confirmed that Patrik Schick will start the game, having scored for Czech Republic during the internationals. Aleksandar Kolarov is also expected to start, while Davide Santon has a chance of playing at right-back. Di Francesco may have one eye on the Champions League matchup with Real Madrid on Tuesday, meaning Edin Dzeko is likely to be rested. Udinese changed their coach during the international break and will be hoping to have found the man to revive their fortunes in Davide Nicola, who impressively steered Crotone away from relegation in the 2016-17 season. Tomorrow he will be calling upon key players such as Rolando Mandragora and Rodrigo De Paul as he looks to get his new job off to a good start. Roma need to make sure they do what’s expected and put in a solid performance to pick up from where they left off before the international break. The game kicks off at 2pm UK time tomorrow. Roma will be looking for their first home league win in over a month when they face Sampdoria on Sunday afternoon.
Roma haven’t won a Serie A game at Stadio Olimpico since beating Lazio at the end of September, and need to pick up all the points they can get if they are to revive their ambitions for the season. They head into the Sampdoria fixture - their last game before the international break - off the back of a 2–1 win over CSKA Moscow in the Champions League, but they have drawn their last two Serie A games 1-1. Sampdoria have also hit a rough patch of late, losing 4-1 to Torino last week. They are winless in over a month, and have slipped to 12th in the table despite a promising start, which included a 3-0 win over title challengers Napoli. The top scorer for Marco Giampaolo’s side this season is a certain Gregoire Defrel, the French striker who was a massive disappointment at Roma last season. It would add insult to injury if the 27-year-old was to score a decisive goal against his parent club today. The other ex-Roma attacker in their ranks, Gianluca Caprari, has weighed in with two goals from seven league games, while Fabio Quagliarella remains a danger man even at the age of 35. Midfield creators Dennis Praet and Gaston Ramirez could cause problems for Roma, while Joachim Andersen has been everpresent at the back. The Danish defender renewed his contract at Sampdoria in the week, despite interest from Inter, Juventus and Manchester United. For Roma, ex-Sampdoria man Patrik Schick will start the game, although Eusebio Di Francesco refused to confirm whether he would do so on the wing or up front. Justin Kluivert has a chance of retaining his place in the starting lineup, while Juan Jesus could be restored at centre-back. Daniele De Rossi, Diego Perotti and Javier Pastore miss the game through injury, however. The game gets underway at 2pm UK time. Expected Roma lineup: 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: Roma will look to put an end to their wretched run of form when Frosinone visit on Wednesday night.
The Lupi are without a win since the opening day of the season, having dropped points to the likes of Chievo and Bologna in recent weeks. It's a spell that made Eusebio Di Francesco take his players for an emergency training camp at the start of the week in the hope of addressing the side's current problems. On paper, tonight's opponents should be an ideal side to get back to winning ways against, but at present, any team look like a potential banana skin for Roma. Frosinone have just one point from five games having returned to Serie A this season. However, their squad contains some decent players, such as striker and captain Daniel Ciofani, summer signing Joel Campbell, and Icelandic World Cup midfielder Emil Halfredsson. In goal, they have acquired Marco Sportiello, formerly of Fiorentina and Atalanta. It's a squad that, if they find their form, could have a chance of Serie A survival. Roma need to make sure the beginning of Frosinone's form doesn't start with an upset tonight. The Giallorossi are just five places above the side from the Lazio region, who play just over an hour's drive away from tonight's setting, the Olimpico. If anything can help Roma through this dire patch, it's the support of a passionate home crowd, but expect whistles if the result doesn't go Roma's way. Roma's squad tonight is almost full strength. Diego Perotti, who started in the loss to Bologna at the weekend, misses out with a muscle injury, and is expected to be absent for a couple of weeks. Consequently, Stephan El Shaarawy may return to the starting lineup, opposing the side he made his Roma debut against. Di Francesco hinted in his press conference that Edin Dzeko might be rested for the game, with a view to Saturday's derby against Lazio. Patrik Schick could take his place in the lineup, and will have a point to prove. Schick started pre-season sharply, but hasn't transferred that form across to the bigger games, and remains without a goal this season. It would be beneficial for both his and the team's confidence if he got off the mark tonight. The game kicks off at 8:00pm UK time. Possible Roma lineup: Olsen, Florenzi, Manolas, Fazio, Kolarov, De Rossi, Nzonzi, Under, Pastore, El Shaarawy, Schick 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 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. Giallorossi Yorkshire's season review continues with the final instalment of player ratings from 2017-18.
This time, the club's forwards go under the spotlight for their performances. Each is given an average rating (the sum of all their GY ratings from the season divided by the number of games considered, ratings counting double if they were named GY man of the match), and a season rating (an evaluation of how they did overall). Let's take a look. Diego Perotti Average Rating: 8.52 Man of the Match: 5 times Season Rating: 7 Perotti had a fairly successful season out on the left wing, and was under consideration for a place in Argentina's World Cup squad, which he just missed out on. He's still a little inconsistent, but Perotti has sharpened up a few aspects of his game this season, scoring more from open play than usual. In some games - such as the away Champions League fixture against Chelsea - he was unplayable. In others, he struggled, meaning his future at the club is uncertain. Edin Dzeko Average Rating: 6.77 Man of the Match: 2 times Season Rating: 8 Dzeko carried on his outstanding form for Roma into his third season with the club, scoring a number of vital goals that helped Roma gain points and advance to the late stages of the Champions League. For an in-depth look at his season, read this article, by myself, on Roma's official website. Patrik Schick Average Rating: 6.55 Man of the Match: 0 times Season Rating: 6 Signed for a club-record fee in the summer, Schick's Roma career got off to a slow start because of injury. It took him some time to record his first Serie A goal for the club after his return, as he was forced out to the right wing. Later on in the season, he showed some signs of regaining his sharpness, setting up an intriguing season for him next year. Cengiz Under Average Rating: 6.6 Man of the Match: 3 times Season Rating: 7 Signed with potential and promise, Under found opportunities limited in the first half of the season, but in the New Year, took his chance and never looked back. After breaking his Roma duck against Verona in February, Cengiz went on a sensational scoring run - and most of them were beauties. He still has some things to learn, but like Schick, should have a very exciting next season ahead of him. Gregoire Defrel Average Rating: 5.57 Man of the Match: 0 times Season Rating: 4 Where to start? Defrel has been a massive disappointment this season, failing to make any sort of impact on the team. He is another player who hasn't benefitted from being played out of position, but regardless, his basic football skills aren't clear to see. It took a penalty against bottom side Benevento to give him his only Roma goal. His effort can't be faulted, but at a club like Roma, you have to back that up with quality - and Defrel has drastically failed to do that this season. Mirko Antonucci Average Rating: N/A Man of the Match: 0 times Season Rating: N/A Antonucci was handed a couple of first team appearances by Eusebio Di Francesco in the games against Sampdoria at the end of January, and took his chance to impress. On his club debut, with Roma trailing in stoppage time, the youngster picked out Edin Dzeko with a perfect left-footed cross. The assist was an excellent display of composure and technique from Antonucci - but it's about all he can be judged on, as he had few other opportunities. He may have to work on his physicality if he is to make himself a future at Roma. Stephan El Shaarawy Average Rating: 8.19 Man of the Match: 5 times Season Rating: 7 A tough one to judge. Like his competitor for the left wing spot, Diego Perotti, El Shaarawy has become characterised by inconsistency. He has done better this season than some people say, but has still had too many off days. However, when on form, he has been terrific. His brace in the 3-0 win over Chelsea, including an opening minute rocket, will never be forgotten. He shone on the right-hand side that night, showing versatility, but has since returned to his favoured left side. It remains to be seen where his place in the team - if at all - will be next season. And so conclude the Giallorossi Yorkshire player ratings for the 2017-18 season. Stay tuned to the site over the coming days for the end-of-season awards. |
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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