GIALLOROSSI YORKSHIRE BLOG
With seven games remaining in the Serie A season, it's still all to play for in the race for the Champions League spaces, with at least six teams still in contention to join Juventus and Napoli in the top four.
After a positive week that saw Roma draw with Fiorentina and beat Sampdoria - dealing major blows to both sides' prospects of sneaking into fourth spot - Claudio Ranieri's side have reaffirmed the belief that they too are well in the mix, and they now lie just one point away from their target. It's still all to play for, as Roma, Lazio, Atalanta and Torino look to catch out the two Milan clubs that currently sit in third and fourth. Here are 10 players - five belonging to Roma, and five opponents - who could have a major say in whether or not the Lupi end the season in the top four. Stephan El Shaarawy The Italian winger is on course to record his first season with double figures of league goals since 2012-13 thanks to his impressive displays for the Giallorossi this season. El Shaarawy has been a threat from the left-hand side, and having recently returned to full fitness, he will be ready for the final push at the end of the campaign. While Edin Dzeko continues to misfire, El Shaarawy's goals could be crucial to Roma's top four ambitions. Moise Kean (Juventus) He's the name on everybody's lips at the moment - Moise Kean looks like the real deal, and has scored in each of his last five games for club and country. Before the end of the season, the champions elect play Inter, Atalanta, Roma and Torino. With Kean's current goalscoring form, Juve boss Max Allegri simply has to keep playing him, and if he continues the way he is, the 19-year-old could do some serious damage to any of their opponents' hopes for the remainder of the campaign. Rolando Mandragora (Udinese) Like Juventus, Udinese will face four of the six sides competing for a place in next season's Champions League before the end of the season, starting with Roma on Saturday. Midfielder Mandragora has been one of their most-used players this season, and the 21-year-old is in good form, having scored in two of their last five games. He will be at the centre of any midfield battles when Udinese take on Inter, Atalanta and Lazio. Cengiz Under This season has been disrupted by injuries for Roma's exciting young winger, but Under is now healthy again and looks set to make a big contribution in the final few weeks. With his eye for goal and willingness to run at opponents, he could create meaningful chances for his teammates. Under can be an important option for Ranieri. Alessandro Florenzi 2018-19 has been a disappointment for Roma's vice-captain. He gave away the decisive penalty which saw La Magica eliminated from the Champions League, and has struggled with niggly injuries. However, he is on the mend, and with fellow right-backs Rick Karsdorp and Davide Santon both injured, he has a role to fill in the immediate future. What he sometimes lacks in ability, he can make up for in passion and desire, and he will need to call on that winning mentality to help his beloved team in the all-important run-in. Senad Lulic (Lazio) A player that Roma fans have come to hate, Lazio's Senad Lulic scored the winning goal against the Giallorossi in the 2013 Coppa Italia final, and has delivered a fair share of nasty blows against opponents in the Derby Della Capitale, both on and off the pitch. With Lazio having Milan, Atalanta and Torino left to play, and Lulic being on a high after scoring a last-minute equaliser in their most recent game, how he would love to play the role of pantomime villian yet again by helping his side make the top four at the expense of any of the above. It's a sight every Roma fan will be hoping they don't have to see. Antonio Mirante Recently usurping Robin Olsen in the Roma goal, Mirante is now Ranieri's first-choice keeper, and must continue to be the reliable figure that the Giallorossi need between the sticks. Mirante kept a clean sheet last time out, against Sampdoria - the side's first in nearly a month - and will be a pivotal figure as Roma look to thwart the dangerous attacks of the likes of Inter, Juventus and Sassuolo. Gervinho (Parma) Another opponent that Roma have left to play is Parma, who they will meet on the final day of the season. In doing so, they will come up against a player who was once their own in Gervinho. The pacy attacker has excelled in his first season back in Italy following a stint in China, netting 13 goals in 27 matches in all competitons. As well as Roma, Parma can dent the top four aspirations of Milan when the two sides meet next Saturday. Could Gervinho make one last contribution to his former teammates by helping them make ground on the Rossoneri? Domenico Berardi (Sassuolo) With Atalanta, Roma and Torino left to play, Sassuolo could derail a number of opponents in the race for UCL qualification. Central to their hopes of doing so could be their one-club man, Domenico Berardi. The Italian winger has scored six league goals this season, more than he managed in either of the previous two campaigns. Among his victims have been Lazio, Inter and Napoli, so he isn't averse to scoring against a big opponent, and will be a threat to anyone he comes across in the closing weeks. Nicolo Zaniolo Roma's star of the season, Nicolo Zaniolo has impressed with his skill, physicality and eye for goal. Truth be told, he came off the boil a little bit in the last few weeks of Eusebio Di Francesco's tenure as head coach, but he looks like he's rediscovering his best form - and not a moment too soon, as Roma need all their key players to step up for the last push. Zaniolo is firmly among that group now, fully established as a first teamer and potential match winner. Having scored against Fiorentina, he will be eager to add to his goal tally, and he knows he has the faith of his coach, teammates and fans as he prepares himself to sign off his maiden Serie A campaign on a high note.
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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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