Back to Serie A duties after a midweek Europa League heartbreak, Roma will be looking to return to winning ways against relegation-threatened Hellas Verona on Sunday. A lopsided contest at the Stadio Olimpico pits the two sides in desperate need of points against each other to sign off an exciting top-flight weekend.
Roma went toe-to-toe with RB Salzburg for most of their first-leg clash in Austria on Thursday, only to concede in the 88th minute of a disappointing 1-0 loss. Like losing wasn’t frustrating enough, standout forward Paulo Dybala had to stay in the dressing room at halftime after picking up a thing problem in the first half.
Though a narrow defeat at the Red Bull Arena leaves this Europa League tie wide open, Jose Mourinho’s men seem to be losing their winning touch of late. Roma have managed just one win in their last five outings in all competitions (D1, L3), scoring one goal or fewer four times in this span. On a more promising note, they start this round in fourth.
Verona would trade places with their hosts every day of the week, yet their dreaded battle for survival looks to be gathering momentum. Since a 1-0 defeat at Inter in mid-January, Marco Zaffaroni’s charges have gone unbeaten in four consecutive Serie A matches for the first time this season (W2, D2).
Winter arrival Cyril Ngonge inspired Verona to a morale-boosting 1-0 home triumph over fellow relegation rivals Salernitana on Monday. But to win back-to-back league games for the first time this term, the Gialloblu will have to defy the odds on a traditionally formidable trip to the capital.
Preview
Roma
After last week’s 1-1 draw at Lecce, Roma risk going two consecutive league fixtures without winning for the first time in 2023. However, a flying start featuring an unanswered brace within six minutes of play saw the Giallorossi topple Empoli 2-0 in their most recent home outing in Serie A, making it three straight league victories at the Stadio Olimpico.
The extension of that run seems almost inevitable, with Roma going undefeated in their last 25 home meetings with Verona in Serie A (W19, D6). Considering they’ve won all three home league matches in 2023 ‘to nil,’ the repeat of a 2-2 draw in this corresponding fixture last season looks seemingly unlikely.
Player to Watch: Tammy Abraham
Tammy Abraham has been Roma’s lucky charm this season. The Giallorossi haven’t lost any of the Englishman’s seven scoring outings thus far (W4, D3), explaining how significant his strike could be on Sunday.
Hellas Verona
With seven sides bettering Verona’s haul of 12 Serie A points in 2023, the visitors should take the field in a buoyant mood. The visitors could even complete this round outside the relegation zone for the first time this season if other results go their way and they break their ‘Olimpico hoodoo.’
Indeed, Zaffaroni’s lads trail 17th-placed Spezia by just two points at the beginning of this matchday. Regardless of the outcome, the Olimpico crowd could be in for a treat. Each of Verona’s last four top-flight encounters against Roma has seen over 3.5 goals and both teams on the scoresheet.
Player to Watch: Cyril Ngonge
Verona’s decision to take a gamble with relatively unknown forward Ngonge, who spent the last two years at Groningen, has paid off massively. The 22-year-old has scored his side’s only goals in each of their last two league matches.
Team News
Dybala may have to sit out this fixture with a minor thigh problem, but luckily for Mourinho, he’s the only Roma player at risk of watching Sunday’s game from the sidelines.
As for Verona, long-term absentee Thomas Henry has yet to return to training. This match may come too soon for captain Miguel Veloso and towering striker Milan Djuric, while Ajdin Hrustic’s availability is still in doubt.
Roma vs Hellas Verona Potential Lineups
Roma (3-4-1-2): Rui Patricio; Gianluca Mancini, Chris Smalling, Roger Ibanez; Nicola Zalewski, Bryan Cristante, Nemanja Matic, Stephan El Shaarawy; Lorenzo Pellegrini; Andrea Belotti, Tammy Abraham.
Hellas Verona (3-4-2-1): Lorenzzo Montipo; Pawel Dawidowicz, Isak Hien, Diego Coppola; Fabio Depaoli, Ondrej Duda, Adrien Tameze, Josh Doig; Darko Lazovic, Cyril Ngonge; Adolfo Gaich.
Roma vs Hellas Verona Prediction
There may not be a better time all season for Verona to pit their wits against Roma, as their effort to climb up the ladder after a dreadful season start picks up a head of steam.
Level on points with fifth-placed Milan, Mourinho’s charges could finish this round outside the top four, but with Dybala likely to miss out, they’ll be without a crucial attacking component.
Therefore, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Verona walking away with another all-important point.
Prediction: Draw
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