GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
Roma’s final game before the winter break sees them up against Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta side.
The game falls at a potentially awkward time, as Roma have hit a rough patch, whilst Atalanta are in good form. After losing key players Franck Kessie and Andrea Conti in the summer, there were doubts if the Bergamo side could repeat their achievements of last season, when they qualified for the Europa League after finishing 4th. Despite these doubts they have been coping well, only losing one of their last ten games. During this time, they have shown their continued ability to hold their own against the big teams, beating Milan in the league and Napoli in the Coppa Italia. Their ability against the top teams was foreshadowed in the first game of the season against Roma. The Giallorossi won 1-0, but had to withhold a lot of pressure from their hosts. Half way through the season, Atalanta are ninth in the league table, level on points with seventh-placed Udinese. Like Roma, they have also had success in Europe, qualifying for the knockout stages of the Europa League, where a tough test against Borussia Dortmund awaits them. Roma, meanwhile, are in need of three points after only winning one of their last five games in all competitions. Since the Derby win over Lazio in November, Eusebio Di Francesco’s men have only scored more than one goal in one match (against SPAL). Edin Dzeko in particular could really do with a goal so he can regain his form. Radja Nainggolan will not be involved for Roma after being disciplined for posting a video of himself smoking, drinking and swearing on Instagram on New Year’s Eve. This could indicate the restoration of Kevin Strootman to the starting line up, or a switch to a 4-2-4 with Dzeko and Patrik Schick starting together up front. Lorenzo Pellegrini should keep his place in the midfield in Nainggolan’s absence, having scored against his former side Sassuolo last time out. Daniele De Rossi is also out of the squad with a muscle problem. Roma will be hoping they can end the first half of the season on a positive note, before their two-week winter break.
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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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October 2019
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