AS Roma arrive at the Stadio Ennio Tardini on matchday 36 sitting fifth in Serie A with 64 points and a Europa League berth firmly in sight. With only 3 games remaining in a 38-match season, the gap to sixth-placed Como is just two points, meaning Gian Piero Gasperini’s side cannot afford to let results slip. Parma, comfortable in 12th at 42 points, host this fixture with nothing mathematically pressing at stake but plenty of pride to play for after a 2-0 defeat at Inter six days ago.
What’s at stake
Roma’s Europa League qualification is alive but not locked in. Sitting fifth on 64 points with 3 games to play, they lead sixth-placed Como by just two points. Como have been one of Serie A’s more consistent sides in recent weeks, meaning Roma genuinely cannot treat the final stretch as a lap of honor. A win at Parma would put meaningful daylight between Roma and Como and go a long way toward securing that European place.
A dropped result here changes the math considerably. If Como win their own fixture and Roma fail to collect three points in Emilia-Romagna, the gap closes to nothing heading into the final two rounds. For Parma, the situation is far more settled. At 42 points and 12th in the table, they are clear of any threat from below and have nothing to gain in terms of standings, but Fabricio Pecchia will want a strong home display after the Inter loss.
How they got here
Roma head into this fixture in reasonable form. Their last five Serie A results read W-W-D-W-L, with the standout performance being a 4-0 dismantling of Fiorentina at home just five days ago. Before that, they picked up a 2-0 win at Bologna and beat Pisa 3-0 at the Olimpico. The sole blemish was a 5-2 loss at Inter, which at least underlines they can score against anyone, even in defeat. Parma’s recent run reads L-W-W-D-D. The loss came at Inter, and before that they strung together back-to-back wins over Pisa at home (1-0) and Udinese away (1-0), with draws at Lazio and versus Napoli on either side of that mini-run. Solid but not spectacular.
Roma are fifth with 64 points from 35 games, two points above Como in sixth. Parma sit 12th on 42 points, 22 points adrift of Roma and 14 clear of any realistic threat from the bottom three. The top of the table is settled around Inter (82 pts) and Napoli (70 pts), while Roma’s battle is purely about holding off Como over the final three rounds.
Key battle to watch
Roma’s attacking output this season has been built in part on the finishing of Donyell Malen, the side’s top scorer in Serie A with 11 goals. How Parma’s defensive unit handles his movement in behind will likely shape the game. Parma have conceded 42 goals in 35 league games, an average that suggests they are not particularly stingy at the back. If Roma’s midfield trio can win the tempo battle and feed the front line with the kind of service that delivered four goals against Fiorentina, Parma’s backline will be tested throughout.
Key Stats
Our Prediction
The head-to-head record in the last ten meetings sits at 8-0-2 in Roma’s favor, including a 5-0 hammering at the Olimpico in December 2024 and a 2-1 win for Roma in October 2025. Roma’s current momentum, their clear European motivation, and that dominant historical edge over Parma all point toward a visiting win. Parma can make it uncomfortable at Tardini, especially after back-to-back home results that showed defensive discipline, but Roma’s quality in the final third looks like the difference here.