Jose Mourinho is under pressure to finish fourth as AS Roma hosts an in-form Juventus side steadily rising into the UEFA Champions League places.
Not everyone in the Italian capital would have envisaged bottom-placed Cremonese to shock Roma. The defeat ensured Jose Mourinho’s promising work since the turn of the year was halted, which pushed them a bit behind in the race for the top four. And that was hardly ideal ahead of the clash between AS Roma and Juventus.
In a tricky encounter, a late penalty from Daniel Ciofani decided Roma’s fate in the clash. The loss keeps them three points behind AC Milan, who currently occupy the fourth spot, while Atalanta are chasing them from behind, with 41 points on board.
A flare-up on the touchline also saw Mourinho get sent off. But Roma has since appealed to relinquish the charge. There is pressure on the Portuguese manager to bring the club back to the Champions League. But they also have Europa League duties later in the week as the fixture list cramps up for the Capital club.
Meanwhile, Juventus are truly on the rise despite their 15-point deduction owing to the FIGC ruling. The Bianconeri have won 12 of their last 15 matches in Serie A, which shows they are technically in a title-chasing form.
๐น ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐น๐น๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป๐: Derby edition! ๐
Turin was painted black and white once more following our 4-2 #JuveToro victory! Feel part of the crowd in the stadium and enjoy this unique perspective from our comeback Derby win! โช๏ธโซ๏ธ๐
— JuventusFC ๐ฌ๐ง๐บ๐ธ (@juventusfcen) March 3, 2023
They have taken significant strides to climb back to a relevant point in the table. Juventus have 35 points on board and would have been comfortably in the second spot if not for the deduction. For now, Massimiliano Allegri will aim to keep momentum and chase a final Champions League spot.
The Bianconeri will enter this game after a thrilling victory over local rivals Torino with a 4-2 scoreline. They are still considerably behind AC Milan in the points table. But given Allegri’s men’s form, they might make a late push to shake up the current order.
Team News & Tactics
AS Roma
Jose Mourinho will only have Ebrima Darboe out of this clash with an injury. The manager could count on Chris Smalling, who returns from a suspension and could come straight into the lineup. Roma will see few notable changes in their lineup, especially after the Cremonese defeat.
๐ช๐ช pic.twitter.com/iqOdk8g4TH
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) March 3, 2023
Meanwhile, Nemanja Matic could replace Georginio Wijnaldum as a midfielder after the Dutchman looked rusty in his first full game after a long injury layoff. There could also be a place for Tammy Abraham, who should replace the ineffective Andrea Belotti.
Belotti is yet to score or assist in Serie A since signing for Roma in the summer. Luca Pellegrini and former Juventus star Paulo Dybala will start behind Abraham in the attack. Matic will have Bryan Cristante for a company in central midfield.
Smalling could marshall the back three, with Ibanez and Gianluca Mancini playing on either side of the Englishman. Zeki Celik and Leonardo Spinazzola will provide width from wing-back positions, as AS Roma look to contain Juventus’s threat.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1):ย Rui Patricio; Mancini, Smalling, Ibanez; Celik, Cristante, Matic, Spinazzola; Pellegrini, Dybala; Abraham
Juventus
Arkadiusz Milik is the only notable absentee in this Juventus squad to face AS Roma. Massimiliano Allegri could also include star midfielder Paul Pogba as part of the squad. But the Frenchman will not start the game.
๐ for it! #RomaJuve โณ pic.twitter.com/QLoJCRRyld
— JuventusFC ๐ฌ๐ง๐บ๐ธ (@juventusfcen) March 3, 2023
Adrien Rabiot, Manuel Locatelli, and Nicolo Fagioli should keep their growing midfield partnership, with Locatelli replacing young star Enzo Barrenechea at the base. Meanwhile, Allegri also has Fabio Miretti back in action after recovering from an ankle problem.
Angel Di Maria should keep his place in the attacking setup as he continues to complement Dusan Vlahovic up front. Filip Kostic and Juan Cuadrado will continue to provide width from wing-back positions. Juventus will have a considerably stronger bench than in recent weeks, which should provide them with the necessary squad depth for games like these.
At the back, Danilo will retain his place on the right side of the back three, with Gleison Bremer and Alex Sandro completing the setup for Allegri’s side.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2):ย Szczesny; Danilo, Bremer, Sandro; Cuadrado, Fagioli, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Di Maria, Vlahovic
Key Stats
- AS Roma have won five of their last six home games without conceding a goal.
- Roma have seen over 2.5 goals in their last three home matches against Juventus in all competitions.
- Juventus have won 12 of their last 15 matches in Serie A.
- Juventus are undefeated in their last five matches against Roma in all competitions.
- Juventus have scored at least 2 goals in their last three away matches against Roma in all competitions.
Player to Watch
Adrien Rabiot
The midfielder is having his best season to date, something Juventus will find strange, having not seen this side of Rabiot in the three-plus years he has been here. Yet, Massimiliano Allegri is not about to start questioning and take whatever help he can get from his performing stars, especially in their quest to finish in the UEFA Champions League places.
With Rabiot seemingly set to depart Juventus at the end of the campaign, he will want to keep putting up considerable performances to attract the best suitors. A good showing against AS Roma is vital for the Frenchman, who would want to control the midfield spaces to give his team an advantage.
Prediction
AS Roma 1-1 Juventus
The two teams facing each other will come into this game in good form. AS Roma have been brilliant since the turn of the year, and Juventus are on a mazy run to gain a relevant place in Europe next year. Considering their respective forms, the best predictable outcome for this clash is an entertaining draw.
There is every chance for either team to snatch victory. But even with home advantage, Roma may not have the superiority over Juventus to collect three points. The reverse fixture between these sides ended in a draw last time out, and the same result shall prevail this time.
