It might not have the same ring as “Can you do it on a rainy night in Stoke,” but Roma will get the chance today to prove that they can do it on a rainy night in Geneva. With the Europa League Group Stages slowly but surely coming to an end, the most important thing for the Giallorossi is going to be ensuring that they can achieve first place in their group — a win that will make it far easier for José Mourinho and his men to once again end the season with a continental cup final.
As always, the balance here between getting the three points and maintaining a healthy squad through rotation will be critical for the Giallorossi, as they face a month of Serie A matches that will not only determine if Roma can truly fight for Champions League qualification through a top-four finish but José Mourinho and Tiago Pinto’s future at the Stadio Olimpico as well.
The lineups for today reflect that need for balance, as Andrea Belotti, Houssem Aouar, Edoardo Bove, and Zeki Çelik all get the start alongside first-team mainstays Romelu Lukaku, Gianluca Mancini, Paulo Dybala, and Stephan El Shaarawy. Lorenzo Pellegrini, Rui Patricio, and Bryan Cristante have all been given a chance to start this one from the bench; the hope is surely that Pellegrini and Cristante won’t be needed in this match at all, but one does wonder how well Roma will function in the midfield without either star on the pitch.
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