With manager Jose Mourinho and captain Lorenzo Pellegrini suspended, Salernitana stunned Roma at the Stadio Olimpico in a 2-2 draw. After a strong start led by Andrea Belotti, who finally scored his first league goal for the Giallorossi, the Roma backline collapsed, allowing Antonio Candreva the time and space to score two outstanding strikes. However, with less than ten minutes remaining, Belotti struck again, rescuing a point for his side in Week One.
Rui Patricio – 6
The Roma goalkeeper had a frustrating match. Salernitana rarely challenged the 35-year-old, but the two shots they put on-target were unstoppable.
Chris Smalling – 5
To be blunt, Smalling got absolutely blitzed by Antonio Candreva in the first half. In a one-on-one chance, the winger made two cuts, unbalancing the English defender and creating space. With Smalling off-kilter, he fired a strong shot into the upper netting, bringing the visitors level. In the second half, the 33-year-old was the centre-back chosen to leave the pitch as Roma made several attacking substitutions.
Gianluca Mancini – 6.5
Next to Smalling, Mancini was much more solid defensively. In his typical fashion, he didn’t shy away from crunching tackles and aggressive play, largely neutralizing the visitors’ forwards. The centre-back nearly netted a headed goal in the first half, but Guillermo Ochoa produced a brilliant save to keep the score level.
Diego Llorente – 7
One of several Roma players making his Serie A debut, Llorente seems well-posed to take the place of Roger Ibanez. He was consistent on the backline and distributed the ball well, picking up an assist with a long-range cross to Belotti in the box.
Rasmus Kristensen – 5
Kristensen’s debut was less-than-impressive. The wing-back looked uncomfortable with the ball at his feet, and he failed to create much of anything on offense. In addition, his defensive contributions were minimal, despite his playing a more reserved role.
Leonardo Spinazzola – 5
Spinazzola had trouble finding space and creating for his side. Despite frequently getting on the ball, he struggled to bypass Pasquale Mazzocchi and Matteo Lovato and had little impact on proceedings.
Bryan Cristante – 5.5
In the first half, Cristante put in a quality shift in the defensive midfield. He was solid when Roma was off the ball, up until the start of the second half. From the opposite wing, Candreva made a near-identical play to his first half play, burning by the midfielder and scoring a brilliant curling shot.
Houssem Aouar – 8
In his debut, the French-Algerian put on a show, dazzling with his passing ability. He played a quintessential deep-lying playmaker role, making intelligent decisions with the ball while creating chances from a reserved position. While his play was not quite enough to win the match, Aouar was easily Roma’s second-best player on the pitch.
Edoardo Bove – 6
Playing in the attacking midfield, the 21-year-old homegrown started out the match on fire. During the first 30 minutes, he put on a show between the lines, creating numerous chances with his technical footwork and speed. However, Bove’s form dipped as the match wore on, and he struggled to consistently find space on the Salernitana backline.
Andrea Belotti – 9
With Tammy Abraham out with a long-term injury, Belotti won the start as Roma’s number nine. After his terrible 2022/23 campaign, the Italian got his side off to a flying start, breaking through the backline and easily finishing a floated cross from Llorente. For much of the match, Belotti was the lone offensive threat for the hosts, as his fellows struggled to create against the visitors’ low block. Late in the second half, he scored a crucial equalizer for his side, proving that he can still be a top-caliber striker in Italy.
Stephan El Shaarawy – 7
While El Shaarawy consistently dropped into the midfield to find the ball, he was unable to do much with it. Salernitana’s defense and midfield were quick to press and dispossess the forward, greatly limiting his creative ability. However, El Shaarawy came alive in the second half, sparking numerous attacks and showing strong chemistry with Belotti. If these two strikers can find consistency going forward, Roma will be just fine during Abraham’s extended absence.
AFTER VAR DISALLOWED HIS FIRST, BELOTTI FINALLY GETS HIS GOAL ⚽
• Last season in Serie A: 0 goals in 31 matches
• This season: 1 goal in 17 minutes pic.twitter.com/CVhP4dJ4hW
— Italian Football TV (@IFTVofficial) August 20, 2023
Substitutes
Rick Karsdorp – 5
Brought on for his speed to replace Spinazzola, Karsdorp’s passing was suspect as Roma pushed further and further forward.
Leandro Paredes – 8
In his return to Rome, Paredes created the equalizer with a brilliant cross from deep. Despite not being on the pitch for long, the World Cup winner’s introduction changed the match completely.
Renato Sanches – 6
Roma’s big offseason signing did not see many touches during his 25 minutes on the pitch.
Nicola Zalewski – 5.5
Truth be told, all four of Roma’s wing-backs were unimpressive. Zalewski, a youngster with a bright future, did little with the ball during his time on the pitch. At one point, he was in-possession at the byline with onrushing attackers, but his subsequent cross was poorly mis-hit.