They may not have convinced and flattered to deceive at times, but Roma scraped through the group stage of the Champions League and can look forward to another adventure on the continent.
Despite falling to three defeats from their six Group G fixtures, the Giallorossi secured second place and qualification behind holders Real Madrid. A group that proved far tighter than it ought to have been by the end saw Roma pip Viktoria Plzen and CSKA Moscow, and seal their place with a game to spare.
Last season’s fairytale run to the semi-finals remains fresh in the minds of the Curva Sud faithful as they cling on to precious memories, with the current campaign swinging from bad to worse.
Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat to Viktoria Plzen capped a dreadful few days for the capital club, who had let slip a 2-0 lead against nine-man Cagliari on Saturday and settle for a draw.
Whether coach Eusebio Di Francesco will still be at the helm once the Champions League resumes in February remains to be seen, but regardless of who is in the hot seat, Roma are likely to have to do things the hard way if they are to make a splash in the competition.
Indeed, the Giallorossi are at risk of squaring off against one of the champions of England, Spain, Germany, France and Portugal.
La Liga holders and leaders Barcelona could lie in wait for the Lupi, having topped a group including Tottenham Hotspur and Inter. The Catalan club are European heavyweights and with the firepower of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele, the Blaugrana have the ability to tear a fragile Roma defence apart.
Arguably the greatest moment in Roma’s stunning run last term was a sensational come-from-behind victory over the Spanish club though, and the 3-0 victory to secure an away goals win will undoubtedly spur Di Francesco’s team on. It would require lightning to strike twice, however, and comprehensive defeats to Real Madrid in the group stage already this term do not bode well.
Elsewhere, Pep Guardiola’s slick Manchester City side would pose an equally daunting test. Roma have struggled to impose themselves through the centre in matches this season and the Citizens have proven themselves adept at exploiting a weak midfield to tear teams apart.
Alternatively, Roma could be pitted against Paris Saint-Germain. Dominant in their own domestic competitions in recent seasons, the French champions have set their sights on finally breaking their Champions League duck and would relish the opportunity to flex their muscles against an out-of-sorts Lupi.
Regardless of the opposition, however, any hopes of progression depend on Di Francesco’s men resolving their fragility. Collapses against Chievo and Cagliari, in addition to shock defeats against the likes of Udinese and Bologna, have marred what promised to be a positive campaign.
Losing stars such as Alisson Becker, Radja Nainggolan and Kevin Strootman have hit the Giallorossi hard, whilst without the injured Edin Dzeko in Europe, they have looked blunt in attack.
Unable to break teams down effectively whilst equally keeping the ball out of their own net, the winds of change must run through the Stadio Olimpico fast or else dreams of only a second quarter-final appearance in 11 years could collapse around them.
It could be argued that Roma’s best hopes lie in being paired against Porto, who pose less of a threat than Bundesliga duo Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
It needn’t be all doom and gloom for the capital club though. Young winger Cengiz Under has shone in continental competition and could be the key to unlocking tricky ties, whilst Dzeko hit five goals in just four appearances over the group stage.
Meanwhile, young Italian midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo has been a revelation and could help kickstart a turnaround in fortunes. If the Giallorossi can string a run of wins in the new year and rebuild their confidence, a talented and creative squad has the potential to trouble any of the big boys.
There is plenty of football to be played between now and February, and as Roma proved last year, miracles can happen. However, unless their form changes, the Giallorossi’s stars may well see the season as a write-off on all fronts come February.
