GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
Roma will be looking to record back-to-back wins for the first time in Claudio Ranieri's second spell in charge when they face Udinese on Saturday evening.
Thanks to a draw with Fiorentina and a win over Sampdoria, belief has been restored that Roma can still finish in the top four this season. Tomorrow, a home match against a relegation-threatened opponent presents them with a good chance for a third game unbeaten, but Udinese themselves have been enjoying an upturn in form of late. Since the return of coach Igor Tudor in March, Udinese have not tasted defeat in three matches, steering themselves away from the drop. Rodrigo De Paul, their top scorer this season with nine goals, netted twice in their most recent outing, a 3-2 win over Empoli, whilst other key players like Rolando Mandragora and Kevin Lasagna have also found the net since Tudor's arrival. Roma coach Ranieri is preparing himself for a tough game, and knows he may need to adapt his system. Aware that Udinese like to play on the counter, Ranieri explained at his press conference that he may play with just one striker instead of his preferred two, meaning one of Edin Dzeko and Patrik Schick is likely to miss out. The Giallorossi will have to field a makeshift backline, with none of their full-backs fully available. Aleksandar Kolarov is suspended, while Davide Santon and Rick Karsdorp will both be sidelined for a few weeks. Alessandro Florenzi is himself only just returning from an injury, but may have to be thrown straight into the lineup to accommodate for the lack of options. Juan Jesus will likely deputise in the other full-back role. Nonetheless, there will still be a weight of expectation on Roma to win this game, as they look to chase down the top four. Stephan El Shaarawy needs one more goal to reach 10 for the Serie A season, while fellow winger Justin Kluivert could be in line for a third straight start, and will be hoping to increase his contribution to goals. The game kicks off at 5pm UK time, but will not be available to watch on TV in the country.
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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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