Roma may miss out on the top five in the league!

23/04/2024

In Serie A matches, Roma hosted Bologna at home, a game deemed absolutely crucial not to lose. 

A defeat would make Roma's hopes of securing a top-five finish in the league very slim.

AS Roma defeat in home!

In the end, they suffered a dismal 1-3 defeat, marking their second loss to Bologna this season and dimming their prospects of clinching a top-five spot.

Perhaps due to the congested schedule, Roma has been shuttling between league and Europa League matches in recent weeks, resulting in an overall poor form of the team.

Dybala in action

From the start of the match, Roma appeared visibly lackluster while the visiting team quickly found their rhythm.

In the 14th minute, Bologna took the lead with a brilliant goal from El Azzouzi, boosting their confidence significantly.

El Azzouzi scored the 1st goal!

Just before halftime, Bologna's continuous passing in the final third led to a goal from Zirkzee.

Although Roma attempted to clear the ball out, according to Serie A rules, as long as the ball crosses the goal line, even if cleared afterwards, the goal still counts. Therefore, Roma found themselves trailing 0-2.

Zirkzee's goal led Roma 2 goals leading!

In the second half, substitutions like Azmoun injected vigor into Roma's attack. The Asian forward seized the opportunity and scored, offering Roma a glimmer of hope.

Azmoun chased back a goal!

However, it was not enough as Roma failed to equalize. Towards the end of the match, they succumbed to a counterattack from Bologna, conceding another goal and ultimately losing 1-3.

The defeat left the entire Roma team demoralized. Although they still sit fifth in the standings, they are only one point ahead of sixth-placed Atalanta.

Additionally, Lazio is just three points behind Roma. While Roma has played one more game than the two teams behind them, they must secure a victory in their upcoming crucial match against Udinese to maintain their grip on a top-five position.

AS Roma

The match against Bologna was just the beginning of Roma's daunting fixture list. 

In the next three rounds, they will face strong opponents such as Napoli, Juventus, and Atalanta. 

AS Roma will face Leverkusen in Europa League

In a span of nearly two weeks, Roma not only has to tackle three challenging league matches but also prepare for two Europa League clashes against Bayer Leverkusen. 

This presents a significant challenge for De Rossi, who lacks experience coaching a top-tier team.

Can De Rossi lead Roma out of their slump?
 

While De Rossi initially helped Roma regain form after taking over as coach, offering fans hope for a Champions League spot, consecutive losses against strong teams could see them lose their top-five position, presenting opportunities for Atalanta and Lazio.

Considering their fixture congestion, Roma's quest for a top-five finish is indeed a daunting task. 

AS Roma fight for Europa League title

De Rossi must carefully balance their commitments in the league and Europa League. 

If they aim to achieve success in both competitions, the challenge for Roma will be immense!