Stadio Alberto Picco is the venue as out-of-form Spezia take on underperforming Roma in Sunday’s high-stake Serie A encounter. Though it may not look like at first glance, the game in Liguria could set the tone for the remainder of the season for each side.
After enjoying a run of four Serie A matches without defeat (W3, D1), Spezia have lost their last two league outings by the same 2-1 scoreline, going right back into a relegation battle again. With 18th-placed Cagliari now only an agonising four points adrift, Thiago Motta’s men will be desperate for points here.
Things are not looking great for Roma either. A run of three Serie A draws on the trot has seen the Giallorossi tumble down to eighth in the standings, two points below the European spots. Juventus’ 3-2 win at Empoli on Saturday put more pressure on Jose Mourinho as his team now trail the fourth-placed Bianconeri by nine points.
Spezia Form Guide
Despite experiencing an underwhelming seasonal record on home turf this season (W3, D3, L6), Spezia have often done a fine job keeping their Serie A matches at Alberto Picco competitive. Indeed, each of their 12 top-flight outings in Ligue 1 this term featured a full-time margin of under 1.5 goals, highlighting the potential for another evenly-contested fixture.
Moreover, eight of those 12 matches witnessed both teams on the scoresheet, hinting the home crowd could be in for a treat. Plenty of action on both ends of the pitch highlighted the only previous meeting between Roma and Spezia at this venue, with their last season’s top-flight H2H here yielding an action-packed 2-2 draw.
Adding to this sentiment, Motta’s men are enjoying their longest scoring streak in Serie A, having found the back of the net in each of their last nine league games in a row. Bringing the entire 2021/22 season into the equation, the Aquilotti have only failed to score twice in their 12 Serie A encounters at home.
Roma Form Guide
Following an uneventful scoreless stalemate with relegation-battling Genoa in early February, Roma have strung together a pair of 2-2 draws, both of which saw them come from behind to avoid defeat. Mourinho’s reputation as a ‘park-the-bus’ manager doesn’t hold water anymore, with five of Roma’s last six competitive away matches witnessing 4+ goals and both teams scoring.
Furthermore, the Giallorossi have netted 2+ goals in three of their last four Serie A outings on hostile turf, where their seasonal average stands at 2.08 per game. Delivering action either side of half-time, they have smashed a 10-goal barrier in both halves of Serie A away action played this season.
Roma’s visit to Liguria promises to improve their eye-catching scoring record, with the capital-based outfit averaging 2.66 goals per Serie A showdown against Spezia.
Spezia vs Roma Prediction
Neither side would benefit much from a draw, so we expect both teams to go all-out for all three points here. But with Roma experiencing a rollercoaster season, it is hard to mark them as clear-cut favourites, even though the clubs’ positions in the Serie A table would suggest otherwise.
We instead predict an open-ended affair with at least a couple of goals, presumably a minimum of one on either side.