Prior to the weekend, all eyes in the Italian peninsula were on the greatly-anticipated Derby della Capitale. Now surely we have four clubs competing for the Scudetto, and none of them is named Roma or Lazio, but the battle between the two eternal rivals has a unique flavor. Thankfully for us, the 3-0 result meant that there was obvious winners and losers from Roman civil war. So let’s take a look at the Tops and Flops from Serie A round 30 which are expectedly dominated by the outcome of the Roma derby.
Top (Player): Lorenzo Pellegrini
This weekend, several candidates had legitimate claims, starting from Victor Osimhen’s super brace against Udinese, Ismael Bennacer’s brilliant performance in Cagliari-Milan, or even Tammy Abraham’s derby heroics
However, it was Lorenzo Pellegrini’s astonishing display for the Giallorossi that caught the eye more than anything else in the Roman derby. The captain entered the battle like a true gladiator who’s ready to sacrifice his life for the cause.
The Italian’s shrewd corner kick allowed Abraham to break the deadlock, and his absolutely stunning freekick sealed the result for the “home side”.
Top (Flank Combo): Matteo Politano and Giovanni Di Lorenzo
For the second week in a row, Osimhen stole the headlines with a brace for Napoli. The Partenopei were trailing at home to Udinese, but the Nigerian scored two goals to turn the result upside-down.
Nonetheless, it’s time to recognize the underappreciated duo on the right flank. Once again, Matteo Politano and Giovanni Di Lorenzo combined brilliantly to set up the center forward.
With Lorenzo Insigne’s impact dwindling in his swansong campaign, the right wing has suddenly become Luciano Spaletti’s strong side.
Flop (Manager): Ivan Juric
Although Maurizio Sarri would have been the obvious choice, Ivan Juric once again failed to lead Torino to victory.
The Granata had the numerical disadvantage for the majority of their away contest against Genoa, but the Ligurians somehow managed to hold on to their slight lead, earning their second victory of the campaign in the process.
Top (Manager): José Mourinho
Perhaps luck was on his side with the swift opening goal, but José Mourinho had done his homework before kickoff, as his side looked solid, creative and compact.
Benching Nicolò Zaniolo may have raised some eyebrows, but the whole match ended up being a tactical masterpiece from the Special One.
Flop (Team): Lazio
We can blame the manager, the goalkeeper, the outfield players, but truth to be told, everyone at Lazio looked sub-par from start to finish.
Perhaps they were stunned by the early opener, but the lack of reaction from the Biancocelesti was both surprising and disappointing.
Top (Team): Roma
On the opposite side of the coin, Roma avenged themselves following their defeat in the reverse fixture, and they did so in an emphatic fashion.
The Giollorossi only needed one half to decimate their hated rivals, but also managed to maintain their composure and reach safe harbor in the second period while remaining mostly untroubled.
Top (Feel-Good Story): Moustapha Cissé
We all love a fee-good story, right? So it would be incredibly hard to beat this one.
Few weeks ago, 18-year-old Moustapha Cissé was still playing for an eight-tier side that is made up of refugees.
Last month, the teenager signed for Atalanta, and the move paid off quicker than expected, as he scored the late winner for La Dea against Bologna after coming off the bench.
A one-match wonder? Or the beginning a special career path?
Only time will tell.