Three days after conceding a late winner to fall 3-2 at Manchester United in the Champions League, AS Roma are back at the Stadio Olimpico for a very different kind of test. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side host a Sassuolo outfit that has taken one point from its last five Serie A outings, arriving in Rome with 8 points from 10 games. The gap between third-placed Roma (24 pts) and their visitors may be wide, but Roma cannot afford to drop points in the title race: Lazio sit four clear at the top, and Como are breathing down their necks in fourth with 23 points.
What’s at stake
Roma sit third in Serie A with 24 points, one behind Inter and four behind leaders Lazio. Como in fourth have 23 points, meaning a slip against Sassuolo could see Roma fall out of the top three by the end of the weekend. With the top four spots in the table currently separated by just five points, there is real pressure on Gasperini to keep accumulating.
A win keeps Roma in the conversation at the summit and maintains their lead over a cluster of teams fighting for the European places below them. For Sassuolo, still unattached to any European or relegation description in the standings, the concern is the downward pull: eight points from ten games puts them level with Parma and Fiorentina, only two points ahead of Monza, who are in the relegation zone. A defeat in Rome would leave them perilously close to the bottom three.
How they got here
Roma’s league form has been solid: wins over Udinese (5-2 away) and Cagliari (4-2 at home) bookended a draw at Napoli (3-3) in their last three Serie A outings. The Champions League loss in Manchester stings, but domestically Gasperini’s team has not lost a league game this season, posting seven wins and three draws. Their attack is among the most productive in Italy, with Donyell Malen leading the way on 8 Serie A goals. Sassuolo, by contrast, have lost four straight in the league and have conceded 26 goals in 10 games. Their last positive result was a 1-1 draw at home to AC Milan; since then it has been losses to Frosinone (2-4), Como (0-2), Lazio (2-6), and Fiorentina (2-4).
Roma are third with 24 points from 10 matches, unbeaten in Serie A. Sassuolo are 17th with 8 points, the same tally as Parma and Fiorentina, and their defensive record is the fourth-worst in the division with 26 goals conceded.
Key battle to watch
Donyell Malen against Sassuolo’s beleaguered backline is the matchup that could define the evening. The Dutch forward is second in the Serie A scoring charts with 8 goals and has benefited from Roma’s high-tempo attacking system. Sassuolo have shown against Lazio and Fiorentina that they can be pulled apart by direct, vertical play. If Malen receives service early and Sassuolo’s defensive shape breaks down as it has in recent weeks, Roma could add to what is already a commanding goal difference. Alberto Aquilani’s side will need a disciplined, compact defensive block to have any chance of keeping the scoreline respectable.
Key Stats
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Our Prediction
Roma’s unbeaten league record and Sassuolo’s four-game losing streak point strongly in one direction. Gasperini will want a commanding home performance to shift the focus away from the Champions League defeat in Manchester, and the visitors’ defensive numbers give him plenty of reason for optimism. Expect Roma to control possession and create chances at volume, with Malen well-placed to extend his lead in the scoring charts.