Roma are still looking for their win of the season and on Sunday night Roma travel to face Franco Colombia’s Parma side at the Stadio Tardini.
Parma Info
Expected line up (4-4-1-1): Mirante, Zaccardo, Paletta, Lucarelli, Gobbi, Biabiany, Galloppa, Modesto, Giovinco, Crespo.
Sebastian Giovinco returns to suspension after missing Wednesday’s away defeat to Fiorentina, while Hernan Crespo, the veteran Argentinean, will get a rare start due to Parma’s lack of strikers, as both Graziano Pelle and Francesco Valiani are sidelined. Roma will have to be aware of the explosive pace of Jonathan Biabiany. He caused Roma backline lots of problems when he was at Sampdoria on the last day of the season.
Man to Watch: Sebastian Giovinco
The ‘Atomic Ant’, since his move from Juventus, has found a home and now is enjoying his football. Sebastian Giovinco has been involved in the majority of Parma goals this season, his trickery is likely to cause the stuttering Roma defence a lot of problems.
Roma info
Expected line up (4-3-3): Lobont, Cassetti, Kjaer, Burdisso, Jose Angel, De Rossi, Pizarro, Pjanic, Borriello, Totti, Bojan
Roma are going into the game still looking for their first win of the season after a very disappointing start to the campaign. Luis Enrique is going to game under a bit of a pressure after the poor start. With the boss quoted in the press saying,“ I am worried at the whole situation, but above all the lack of self-belief in the players.”
It certainly hasn’t been the best of the starts for the Giallorossi, Europa League humiliation to Slovan Bratislavia and then a home defeat to Cagliari, before a 0-0 draw at Inter culminating in a poor performance to Siena in midweek.
Going into the game Roma are expected to be without Cicinho, Erik Lamela, Maarten Stekelenburg and Fernando Gago all to injury.
Man to watch: Daniele De Rossi
The Italian midfielder general has been back to his best under Luis Enrique, he has fitted into the system perfectly, playing in front of the back four and when Roma are attacking playing as a liberio. Luis Enrique is getting the best of the player after two years in the wilderness due to lack of form and personal problems.
Previous meetings:
Both games last season ended in draws. At the Stadio Tardini the game ended in a stalemate 0-0. At the Stadio Olimpico the game ended in a 2-2 draw as Parma game from 2-0 down to claim a point thanks to goals from Amauri (remember him).
At the Stadio Tardini, Roma have a brilliant record; they are unbeaten since 2005 after a 2-1 defeat. Since that defeat it has followed by four wins and two draws.
Prediction:
Roma will be hungry to put past the disappointment of Thursday game behind them after the draw at home to Siena. Luis Enrique is building a team and a project at Roma and it will take time to gel. Parma won’t lie down at will be fighting for 90 minutes and will give Roma a game. If Luis Enrique picks the right team to play and not play with three out and out strikers and plays with a low centre to gravity attacker then Roma will prevail.
Parma 1-2 Roma
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Parma are going to find it difficult with only ten players on the pitch from the start!