Roma hosted the Serie A top finishers of this season, Juventus, over the weekend. The Old Lady, already crowned champions of the league had little to play for, save their pride for their fans on the road and their new kit debut. The Giallorossi, on the other hand, are currently fighting hard for a Champions League spot next season.
The two historic rivals left it late to entertain with Roma scoring two goals in the final quarter of the game handing Juventus a surprising upset. The mighty Bianconeri weren’t clinical enough with their chances and seemed over-reliant on their superstar Cristiano Ronaldo which led to Roma stealing their much needed three points. In this tactical analysis, we examine how both teams played out at the Stadio Olimpico.
Lineups
Juventus lined up in a 4-4-2 with Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala up top. The central midfield was marshalled by Emre Can and Miralem Pjanić, with Blaise Matuidi and Juan Cuadrado often tucking inside as part of Massimiliano Allegri’s positional game. Martín Cáceres, on loan from Lazio, made a comeback after a muscular injury alongside captain Giorgio Chiellini.
Roma has been undergoing a phase of transition under Claudio Ranieri. The Italian manager was initially hired as a caretaker until the end of the season with an objective to qualify for the Champions League. But with Antonio Conte turning down the Roma offer in favour of a potential Inter Milan job, Ranieri looks to tempt his former side into hiring him full-time.
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