It finished all square in the capital on Wednesday night in Serie A, as a 2-2 draw between Roma and Fiorentina at Stadio Olimpico did little to improve the European qualification hopes of either side.
Roma remain in touching distance but fall to eighth in the standings, while the Viola are surely already looking towards next season as they languish in the middle of the table.
The visitors took the lead twice through captain German and on loan Giallorossi midfielder Gerson, only for the Romans to quickly equaliser on both occasions through impressive young star Nicolo Zaniolo and Diego Perotti.
After coach Claudio Ranieri decided to replace the much criticised goalkeeper Robin Olsen with Antonio Mirante, it was the ex-Parma man who was the busier of either shotstopper during an otherwise even first 45 minutes.
Mirante was also the first to be picking the ball out of his net after 12 minutes when a perfectly delivered corner kick saw returning skipper Pezzella rise above everyone to head powerfully into the net.
However, within seconds of the restart the Giallorossi were level, a cross field ball finding Justin Kluivert on the right wing, who sent over a perfectly weighted cross for Zaniolo to glance a header home.
Moments later Mirante was tested again, as Luis Muriel sent a thundering strike arrowing towards the bottom corner, that the Italian got the briefest of touches to deflect onto his left post.
With everything to play for the game quickly came to life in the second period. A hopeful cross on 51 minutes bouncing into the path of the onrushing Gerson and his speculative effort found the net through a Juan Jesus deflection.
Once again, it didn’t take long for Roma to level. Kluivert again crossing from the right, this time slightly luckier that the ball evaded several Fiorentina defenders, and Argentine Perotti drilled the ball past Alban Lafont.
Unfortunately, that was the end of any significant goalmouth action, with both sides seemingly intent on committing a succession of needless fouls and some mediocre Edin Dzeko hardly bothering Lafont.
With Sampdoria on the horizon at the weekend, Giallorossi fans could be in for another frustrating 90 minutes, whereas, Fiorentina will fancy their chances when hosting relegation bound Frosinone.
WILL DZEKO EVER SCORE AGAIN AT THE OLIMPICO?
The out-of-sorts striker has now drawn a blank for the last 12 matches in league action at the Stadio Olimpico – 13 if you count the Derby della Capitale – and shows no sign of recovering the form that could help fire them back up the table. The Bosnian’s only saving grace is that Patrik Schick is doing little to oust the ex-Manchester City man from the starting 11.
WHERE NEXT FOR THE VIOLA
With a gap of 9 points between them and an unlikely European place next term, it could be an interesting summer in Florence with the future of coach Stefano Pioli surely to be discussed by the clubs hierarchy.
Starman Federico Chiesa is not getting any younger and will need to test himself at a higher level than Fiorentina currently appear to provide, and it may take a show of ambition in the coaching department to keep the livewire Italian striker at the club.
