Chiesa Di Totti - Serie A 2021-2022, Matchday 1: Roma vs. FiorentinaCautiously Optimistic Since 2007https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48469/totti-fave.png2021-08-23T01:00:00+02:00http://www.chiesaditotti.com/rss/stream/223997052021-08-23T01:00:00+02:002021-08-23T01:00:00+02:00Highlights of Roma's 3-1 Victory Over Fiorentina
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<img alt="AS Roma and ACF Fiorentina - Serie A" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/d8xMUY7jC1_9NkWxHL-aqv8ZttY=/0x0:2529x1686/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69761570/1234820343.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The new look Roma got off to a flying start with a 3-1 win over the Viola today. </p> <p id="WDUAOi">Maybe it was because of this summer's delayed European Championships, the rush of excitement from all the flurry of incoming and outgoing moves in Serie A, or just the anticipation brought on by <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com">Roma's</a> still shocking appointment of José Mourinho, but whatever the reason, the buildup to the new Serie A season felt almost interminable.</p>
<p id="9BT1Eq">And after three long months of waiting, we finally caught our first glimpse of José Mourinho on the Stadio Olimpico sidelines. Accompanied by twenty-six thousand of his closest friends, The Special One's first Serie A match in charge of Roma was, well, special. (We'll go light on that pun this season, I promise.) </p>
<p id="h3yiEN">However, tonight was noteworthy for more than just the final score, as two of Roma's newest signings, Tammy Abraham and Eldor Shomurodov—who cost the club a combined €65 million—had a hand in the festivities, setting up all three Roma goals between them. </p>
<p id="OY7Dhd">So, just in case you weren't able to see this evening's match, enjoy the extended highlights of Roma's romp over <a href="https://www.violanation.com">Fiorentina</a>. </p>
<p id="hblV47">If these highlights are geo-blocked, try the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08RCeyso9Vc">official Serie A highlights</a>. </p>
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https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2021/8/23/22637065/roma-3-fiorentina-1-highlightsbren2021-08-22T23:18:45+02:002021-08-22T23:18:45+02:00Veretout and Abraham Lead the Way in 3-1 Win Over Fiorentina
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<img alt="AS Roma v ACF Fiorentina - Serie A" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/X3mZFJg4Kwi8cYSSVERervpUTt4=/0x298:4000x2965/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69761233/1335724834.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Silvia Lore/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>You wanted an exciting debut for José Mourinho and Tammy Abraham? Well, you got it!</p> <p id="MFrKb3">While <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com">Roma's</a> first official match of the season came last Thursday against Turkish club Trabzonspor in the Europa Conference League playoff round, that was merely the appetizer for today's Serie A opener against <a href="https://www.violanation.com">Fiorentina</a>. With nearly 26,000 fans in attendance, the Stadio Olimpico was rocking in anticipation for the duel debuts of José Mourinho and near-record signing Tammy Abraham, who earned a surprising start after only having a few days of training under his belt.</p>
<p id="28pgj0">Given that both sides had new managers on the touchline and several new faces on the pitch, the opening five to ten minutes weren’t exactly brimming with action. After bending a few blades of grass in the opening moments, Roma's first forward move came thanks to Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who fired a classic “was it a shot or pass?” towards the right post, only to see the ball sail harmlessly wide of the mark. </p>
<p id="KDzpnd">Fiorentina would try a nearly identical move a few moments later when their new signee, Nico Gonzalez, played Jose Calleon down the flank only to see the chance go wasted as Callejon failed to catch up to the heavily weighted pass. </p>
<p id="0bEaMt">With both sides struggling to get into the flow of the match, the first genuine chance of the game happened in the 10th minute via a setpiece when Lorenzo Pellegrini whipped in a cross from the corner flag. Nicolo Zaniolo quickly rose to meet the ball and cleverly tried to flick the ball towards the back post only to find no one waiting to meet it; a smart play despite the lack of payoff. </p>
<p id="qMq33z">While Pellegrini would pick up a yellow card in the 12th minute for a late challenge, the referee's pocketbook was about to change the entire tenor of this match. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Fiorentina's keeper is shown a red card less than 20 minutes into the match. They go down to 10. <a href="https://t.co/o0VRrlhVKb">pic.twitter.com/o0VRrlhVKb</a></p>— Serie A on Paramount+ ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsGolazo/status/1429520327277568418?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2021</a>
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<p id="0FR306">Tammy Abraham was a surprise inclusion in today's starting lineup, but that decision paid immediate dividends tonight, albeit a bit indirectly. With Abraham running off the last defenders in the middle of the pitch, Roger Ibañez found the young Englishman with a perfectly placed and weighted long ball. With a veritable one-v-one about to unfold, Fiorentina keeper Bart Dragowski came flying off his line and clipped Abraham's leg, sending Roma's €45 million man to the turf.</p>
<p id="L3XKaK">While VAR quickly checked to see if he was offside, the call stood and Dragowski was sent off with a straight red, as was Callejon, who came off to accommodate the keeper swap. </p>
<p id="Ul4iOQ">Abraham nearly made his presence felt again in the 25th minute. With Rick Karsdorp firing a cross into the middle of the area, Abraham slickly dummied the ball and let it run through to Pellegrini, but the captain's shot was wide of the mark. Despite the miss, you could sense Roma were waking up.</p>
<p id="kBw4fG">But the new kid wouldn't be denied...</p>
<h3 id="itMYtr">Henrikh Mkhitaryan: 26th Minute (Roma 1, Fiorentina 0)</h3>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Instant impact! ⚡<br><br>Tammy Abraham assists Henrikh Mkhitaryan for Roma's first goal of the season <a href="https://t.co/OEk828lPvO">pic.twitter.com/OEk828lPvO</a></p>— Serie A on Paramount+ ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsGolazo/status/1429524155150438404?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2021</a>
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<p id="kiiJBL">With the ball pinging around the neutral zone, Fiorentina committed a rather ghastly turnover deep in their own territory, one which Abraham pounced on, immediately turning upfield towards the Viola goal. With one defender on him, Abraham stalled and dragged the ball into the middle of the area, giving Mkhitaryan that little extra fraction of a second to get in position. And with one flick of his foot, Abraham played Mkhitaryan into space, where the Armenian maestro pulled off a clever little turn and fire to beat Pietro Terracciano.</p>
<p id="6QgqeZ">The goal was checked...and we mean <em>checked</em>...but in the end, the goal stood and Roma found themselves up a goal and a man with 20 minutes to play. While there were a few mini chances to close out the half, the scoreline stood at one-nil as we wrapped up the first 45 minutes.</p>
<h2 id="jovz5V">Second Half</h2>
<p id="pJZw1y">With a one-man and one goal-advantage to protect (and possibly pad), Mourinho stood pat to begin the new half while Vincenzo Italiano brought on Gaetano Castrovili to add a bit of attacking punch to the Viola.</p>
<p id="8RqjWC">There wasn't any immediate action to speak of from either club but that didn't stop Tammy Abraham from doing a bit of trickery early in the half, as he pulled out a nifty backheel-drag combo move in the opening moments of the half. It didn't result in anything but it was a visual reminder that there is an awful lot of skill in those long limbs of his.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pellegrini finds a loose ball with two men around him, quickly passes it to Tammy, who pulled off a sort of dummy/nutmeg/drag and go move...very pretty</p>— Chiesa di Totti (@chiesaditotti) <a href="https://twitter.com/chiesaditotti/status/1429532248517251076?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2021</a>
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<p id="Q7qAtT">While I wish I could say that bit of video game trickery produced some beautiful moments for Roma, things quickly soured for the Giallorossi in the 52nd minute when Nicolo Zaniolo picked up his second yellow card of the match. With Nico Gonzalez dribbling past him, Zaniolo made the hasty decision to drag him down from behind, leaving the ref little choice but to pull the card.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Zaniolo is sent off after being shown his second yellow card. <br><br>SEVEN red cards so far in Serie A opening weekend. <a href="https://t.co/9oTRnH6lBx">pic.twitter.com/9oTRnH6lBx</a></p>— Serie A on Paramount+ ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsGolazo/status/1429535012236320768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2021</a>
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<p id="M3rhdJ">Sensing a shift in momentum, Fiorentina immediately tilted the now-even pitch in Roma's direction. Dusan Vlahovic was largely silent for most of this match, thanks in large part to the defensive work of Roger Ibañez and Gianluca Mancini, but he nearly leveled the match in the 55th minute. After receiving the ball in the box, Vlahovic used his massive frame to his advantage, brushing off Roma's defense on a classic turn and fire move, but Rui Patricio was up to snuff, quickly dropping to the ground to make a left-handed save, showcasing the same incredible strength he flashed to deny Paul Pogba at this summer's European Championships. </p>
<p id="JTZxfu">With the match creeping towards the hour mark and both sides down to 10 men, you didn't have to be an expert to realize this match wasn't going to end 1-0 to the good. So it came as little shock when Fiorentina struck back right at the hour mark.</p>
<h3 id="KdckLn">Nikola Milenkovic: 60th Minute (Roma 1, Fiorentina 1)</h3>
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<p lang="ro" dir="ltr">The control. The finish. Nikola Milenković finds the equalizer for Fiorentina <a href="https://t.co/O2e0cjOtRE">pic.twitter.com/O2e0cjOtRE</a></p>— Serie A on Paramount+ ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsGolazo/status/1429536800314249216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2021</a>
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<p id="EgTvF5">If you blame Mancini and Abraham for perhaps getting a bit overzealous in their attempts to prevent Vlahovic from getting a head on the ball, just make sure you credit Milenkovic for his effort, as he did remarkably well to settle the ball with his right foot and avoid Patricio before switching the ball to his left and tucking it home. Not great far-post defending from Roma, but full marks to Milenkovic for a classy goal. </p>
<p id="zraY8t">Undaunted by that equalizer, Roma came immediately back and nearly stole the lead in the 62nd minute. With Lorenzo Pellegrini playing a right to left cross for Abraham at the far post, the stage seemed set for the Englishman's first Roma goal, but it wasn't meant to be as his header careened off the woodwork rather than tucking in the top left corner. </p>
<p id="xyQ95M">After trading barbs for the ensuing 15 minutes, Roma finally broke the deadlock, although they needed a helping hand from VAR once more. </p>
<h3 id="L5FXwY">Jordan Veretout: 64th Minute (Roma 2, Fiorentina 1)</h3>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">VAR SAVES THE DAY AGAIN <br><br>Tammy Abraham with two assists in his Roma debut <a href="https://t.co/YCd91tMEI0">pic.twitter.com/YCd91tMEI0</a></p>— Serie A on Paramount+ ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsGolazo/status/1429539435280928773?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2021</a>
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<p id="hAOQBI">Tammy Abraham was purchased to score goals, but he once again showed the ability to work in concert with Roma's attacking midfielders, biding his time while Mkhitaryan drove the ball up from midfield. With Micki approaching the edge of the area, Abraham timed his run off the last defender to perfection, slipping into the box practically unmarked. With the angle at the near post effectively sealed off, Abraham switched the ball across the face of the goal where he found Jordan Veretout at the far post for the go-ahead goal. </p>
<p id="gA3GJA">Roma would close out the final 20 minutes of the match with a series of changes but wouldn't be content with a 2-1 lead. Only this time, it was Roma's other new forward who provided a helping hand for Veretout.</p>
<h3 id="EY4X7O">Jordan Veretout: 79th Minute (Roma 3, Fiorentina 1)</h3>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">VERETOUT. BRACE. <a href="https://t.co/VxKyfv4WLk">pic.twitter.com/VxKyfv4WLk</a></p>— Serie A on Paramount+ ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSSportsGolazo/status/1429541516079288323?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2021</a>
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<p id="ZXOXnh">While Pellegrini started this play off with a great burst down the right flank and Veretout finished it without issue, the real hero here was Shomurodov. Watch as he receives the ball from Pellegrini, cuts in, and manages to withstand a shoulder barge (while also watching said defender fall in his wake) and then proceeds to pull two Viola defenders away from the box before slipping a perfect ball through to Veretout, who runs onto the ball and beats the keeper without batting an eye. This was a perfect counterattack from start to finish but Shomurodov's effort here was sensational. </p>
<p id="rpoZIJ">Roma very nearly added a fourth goal in the waning moments of this match, but thanks to the efforts of Abraham, Veretout, and Shomurodov, among others, Roma left the pitch to thunderous applause.</p>
<h2 id="rMhtJF">Final Thoughts</h2>
<p id="CsrK7d">If Roma's 2-1 win over Trabzonspor last week was the appetizer, then this was the main course and a delectable one at that. This match had it all: effective possession, great link-up play through the middle, individual moments of brilliance, steady goalkeeping, suffocating defense, and even a few entertaining histrionics from Mourinho on the touchline. </p>
<p id="3RsZXK">The remaining 37 league matches won't go quite as smoothly, but you can already see the seeds Mourinho planted over the summer taking root. From the stout defense to the quick transitions to the strikers to the wide forwards stretching and pulling the defense at their pleasure, Roma looked sensational tonight.</p>
<p id="COWoHN">Add in a few more weeks of seasoning (and perhaps a last-minute acquisition of a defensive midfielder) and Roma could become legitimate threats to return to the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/champions-league">Champions League</a>. </p>
<h2 id="wTTWUS">Up Next</h2>
<p id="4pOsNM">Roma welcomes Trabzonspor to the Olimpico on Thursday for the second leg of their Europa Conference League playoff. </p>
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https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2021/8/22/22636830/roma-3-fiorentina-1-match-reviewbren2021-08-22T19:46:00+02:002021-08-22T19:46:00+02:00Roma vs. Fiorentina: Lineups & Game Thread
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<img alt="AS Roma Training Session" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zJRqLq5tnByfbMYmdiPSNxeEOVU=/0x0:5103x3402/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69760582/1335248478.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Fabio Rossi/AS Roma via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>It's opening day in Serie A!</p> <p id="zM4oaY">Following Thursday's 2-1 victory over Turkish club Trabzonspor in the playoff round of the inaugural Europa Conference League, José Mourinho and <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com">Roma</a> turn their attention to Serie A. The Special One officially kicks off his tenure as Giallorossi manager by welcoming a tough <a href="https://www.violanation.com">Fiorentina</a> side to the Stadio Olimpico in this Matchday 1 fixture. </p>
<p id="eLrcub">While Eldor Shomurodov played the role of hero in last week's victory, the overall product on the pitch was a bit uneven, particularly in the final third. With 90 minutes under their belts already, Mourinho's men will be hoping for a more efficient victory this time out. </p>
<aside id="mgYUW3"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"How to Watch Roma vs. Fiorentina: TV and Streaming Options","url":"https://www.chiesaditotti.com/roma-matchday-coverage/2021/8/22/22636532/how-to-watch-roma-vs-fiorentina-tv-and-streaming-options"},{"title":"Roma vs. Fiorentina Preview: Passing, Pressing & Battle of Space Should Determine Outcome","url":"https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2021/8/21/22634604/roma-fiorentina-match-preview"}]}'></div></aside><p id="2HeRyC">Will they get it? We're about to find out!</p>
<h1 id="jH5uNz">Lineups</h1>
<h3 id="GZOnK6">Roma</h3>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"> <br> <br>Here's our XI tonight...<br> <a href="https://twitter.com/tammyabraham?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tammyabraham</a> starts! <br> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ASRoma?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ASRoma</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RomaFiorentina?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RomaFiorentina</a> <a href="https://t.co/FF38jd0vKE">pic.twitter.com/FF38jd0vKE</a></p>— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASRomaEN/status/1429499875796914179?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2021</a>
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<h3 id="QGmygw">Fiorentina</h3>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">LETS GO LETS GO LETS GO<br><br>Our fist starting XI of the 2021/22 Serie A season <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ForzaViola?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ForzaViola</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RomaFiorentina?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RomaFiorentina</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wi0aRPoMLj">pic.twitter.com/Wi0aRPoMLj</a></p>— ACF Fiorentina English (@ACFFiorentinaEN) <a href="https://twitter.com/ACFFiorentinaEN/status/1429500014267600901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2021</a>
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https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2021/8/22/22636645/roma-vs-fiorentina-lineups-game-threadbren2021-08-22T17:00:00+02:002021-08-22T17:00:00+02:00How to Watch Roma vs. Fiorentina: TV and Streaming Options
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<img alt="AS Roma Training Session" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gzdCrw2AWTm7vTQmqMJZ4BImbCI=/0x0:5568x3712/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69760161/1331321623.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Fabio Rossi/AS Roma via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Here's how to catch today's match against Fiorentina</p> <h3 id="HS9R7c">MATCH INFO</h3>
<p id="GlsyV1"><strong>Location: </strong>Stadio Olimpico, <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com">Roma</a></p>
<p id="cTD6sZ"><strong>Kick-off time:</strong> August 22nd. 20:45 CET/2:45 EDT</p>
<h3 id="pmqbq5">WATCH IT</h3>
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<div id="lstv-root-match-4064537" class="lstv-match" data-match="4064537" data-open="0" data-width="100%" data-height="auto"><a href="https://www.livesoccertv.com/match/4064537/roma-vs-fiorentina/">Roma - Fiorentina</a></div>
<script>(function(d, s, id) {var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if (d.getElementById(id)) return;js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;js.src = "https://www.livesoccertv.com/widgets/sdk.js?v=82";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, "script", "lstv-jssdk"));</script>
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<p id="Oj0XeG">If you live elsewhere in the world, there are plenty more viewing options <a href="https://www.livesoccertv.com/match/4064537/roma-vs-fiorentina/"><strong>here</strong></a>, and if you like snap judgments, cursing, and sarcasm, you can follow us <a href="https://twitter.com/chiesaditotti"><strong>on Twitter</strong></a>. If you haven’t already, join the fray on our message boards; we don’t bite. We’re also available at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Chiesa.Di.Totti">Zuckerberg Discount Data Warehouse</a>.</p>
<p id="V3Hq4t">Check out the stream below for our match preview, probable formations, and more.</p>
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https://www.chiesaditotti.com/roma-matchday-coverage/2021/8/22/22636532/how-to-watch-roma-vs-fiorentina-tv-and-streaming-optionsbren2021-08-22T00:00:00+02:002021-08-22T00:00:00+02:00Probable Formations: Roma vs. Fiorentina
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<img alt="Trabzonspor v AS Roma - UEFA Conference League: Play-Offs Leg One" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/BdXefwCPMCa_gslBUZVySzrtNV8=/0x0:3538x2359/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69758471/1335086938.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Fabio Rossi/AS Roma via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Roma’s starting XI for this one should remain virtually unchanged from Thursday’s Conference League victory over Trabzonspor. </p> <p id="efB2LT">While those of us in the Northeastern United States hope that Hurricane Henri packs less of a punch than Theirry Henry in his prime, <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com">Roma</a> is busy gearing up for the first Serie A match of the José Mourinho era. Heading into what is actually Roma’s second competitive match in 72 hours, we should have a solid understanding of what the starting XI <em>should</em> look like. </p>
<p id="RJR2DI">Absent for this one will only be Leonardo Spinazzola and Chris Smalling. Meanwhile, Tammy Abraham will don the Roma shirt for the first time since his arrival from Chelsea. Though because of his lack of time with the team thus far, he’s expected to start on the bench. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mourinho: "Abraham will be in the squad tomorrow. He's been training on his own, because those are the rules at the moment.<br><br>"He's had pre-season at Chelsea, but it's been a busy week for him with travel and everything else. But he'll be there tomorrow."<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ASRoma?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ASRoma</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RomaFiorentina?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RomaFiorentina</a> <a href="https://t.co/shHkB9hieX">pic.twitter.com/shHkB9hieX</a></p>— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASRomaEN/status/1429038731592454145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2021</a>
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<p id="0ViMh5">With Smalling out injured, Gianluca Mancini and Roger Ibañez are again expected to anchor Roma’s backline. That duo will likely be flanked again by Rick Karsdorp and Matias Viña, while veteran goalkeeper Rui Patricio will back them all up.</p>
<p id="KIjZFH">Moving into the midfield, Bryan Cristante and Jordan Veretout seem favored to start. However, there could be a chance that Amadou Diawara could start in place of one of them after neither had a full preseason to get up to fitness. </p>
<p id="2xzsyb">Moving forward, most outlets project the same starting trio of Nicolo Zaniolo, Lorenzo Pellegrini, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the attacking midfield. However, keep an eye on Stephan El Shaarawy, who could start in place of either Zaniolo or Pellegrini with the former returning from ACL surgery and the latter overcoming a knock from Thursday. Meanwhile, Eldor Shomurodov will again lead the line after scoring the match-winner on Thursday. </p>
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<cite>createformation.com</cite>
<figcaption>Roma’s projected XI vs Fiorentina. *Note: Matias Vina will start at LB. He’s not in the website’s database yet. </figcaption>
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https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2021/8/22/22635626/probable-formations-roma-vs-fiorentinassciavillo2021-08-21T19:30:00+02:002021-08-21T19:30:00+02:00Roma vs. Fiorentina Preview: Passing, Pressing & Battle of Space Should Determine Outcome
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<img alt="Football friendly match AS Roma - Raja club athletic Casablanca" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fux8xtANT88DqDEcVnX1YhaPIa8=/0x0:2362x1575/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69757723/1334610898.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Serie A kicks off tomorrow with Vincenzo Italiano’s new-look Fiorentina looking like an unknown quantity.</p> <p id="7MeFfw">The report has it that <a href="https://www.violanation.com">Fiorentina</a> coach Vincenzo Italiano belted out from the sidelines of the <em>Viola</em>’s pre-season training to his players: “If we make mistakes like this, Mourinho will be having a smoke while he watches his team win!” </p>
<p id="GitStn">Yet despite Italiano’s apprehension about <a href="https://www.violanation.com">Fiorentina's</a> potential mistakes on the ball, we’ve largely Mourinho's men stand off opponents in <a href="https://www.chiesaditotti.com">Roma's</a> new-look, passive defense. That means someone has to break character tomorrow, whether it be the home or away side, or this match has a low-scoring draw written all over it.</p>
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<p id="G1CZiZ"><strong>Roma vs. Fiorentina</strong>: August 22nd. 20:45 CET/2:45 EDT. Stadio Olimpico, Rome.</p>
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<h1 id="vMGNPx">Keep An Eye On</h1>
<h3 id="FAGRxX">Will Roma Push Up On Fiorentina’s Backline?</h3>
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<img alt="Nicolas Gonzalez of ACF Fiorentina (2L) celebrates with Jose..." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/eGFhKoSajPlFJmBBG7l8MdU0HPM=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22795930/1234674723.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Andrea Staccioli/Insidefoto/LightRocket via Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="Ml3Hui">Fiorentina wasn’t confident on the ball last season, ranking in the bottom-five teams for OPPDA (Opponents Passes Per Defensive Action) in their own half. To speak plainly: The more you got up in Fiorentina’s half, the harder they found it to escape with the ball.</p>
<p id="Sy3Uab">A lot of that may be down to whether Fiorentina even <em>have</em> any ball-carriers at the back in the first place.</p>
<p id="xvRYkm">Arguably only deep-lying midfielder Sofyan Amrabat could shoulder the burden of getting the ball out of the Viola half, but he’ll need help if new coach Vincenzo Italiano is to weave his pass-and-move ideals through the Tuscan club. In that area of the pitch, Italiano has promoted the promising Italian midfield talent of Alessandro Bianco from their Primavera squad during the summer break, but we don’t expect Bianco to be thrown in at the deep end of competitive action against Roma this Sunday. </p>
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<img alt="AS Roma v Raja Casablanca - Pre-Season Friendly" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/X0aKDJfWaMuDqQXw3zT3uolGMG8=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22795964/1334154692.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Silvia Lore/Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="gwrvNr">Fiorentina have also tried for some low-risk moves on the mercato, while Italiano still feels out how much he can bend the squad to his desired style of play. But the bottom line remains the same here: This is a <em>Viola </em>side ripe for picking off in their own half. </p>
<p id="pEYywE">If there are mistakes to be punished, then it’s ideally because Roma’s forwards Shomurodov, Zaniolo, Mkhitaryan steal into the <em>Viola </em>passing lanes as they did against Trabzonspor mid-week in the Europa Conference League. Generally, Roma have shown a mixed approach to pressing from the front under Mourinho so far.</p>
<p id="87KI08">Gone is the counter-pressing from Paulo Fonseca’s days but, if the opponent spends too long passing it sideways or backward, then we’ve seen the aggression from Roma’s forwards, pre-emptively looking to steal the ball back. Yet Roma could collect paydirt if they push up even more than what we’ve seen this preseason, forcing the <em>Viola</em> backline into some key giveaways on Roma’s route to goal.</p>
<h3 id="jWVt7q">Will Roma’s Backline Hit It Long?</h3>
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<img alt="Real Betis v AS Roma - Pre-Season Friendly" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/O4_8Zc9UHmFy_A7m_kGbZTw-_JI=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22796084/1333551636.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="hQWtVz">We could ask the exact same questions of Roma’s backline, in the same way we just put Fiorentina’s own under the microscope. The difference is that Roma’s backline is full of players who pride themselves in their ability to play it out of the back, and perhaps there’s <em>too </em>much pride there.</p>
<p id="eQ4Mv1">Vincenzo Italiano may not believe in pressing ALL over the pitch, ALL of the time (he prefers his side to sit deep defensively like Mourinho if the transition phase is dead) but Fiorentina will definitely be asked to immediately counter-press whenever their attack loses the ball inside Roma’s half. That means we shouldn’t expect Roma's old habits to change overnight, for reasons that are largely out of Mourinho’s control in such a short space of time at the club. </p>
<p id="pIH0X3">This is a Roma team that’s been taught to love the ball over the last two seasons, often at the expense of making avoidable, if not selfish mistakes when playing it out of the back. And yes we’re looking towards familiar faces like Gianluca Mancini, Roger Ibanez, Jordan Veretout, Bryan Cristante, Amadou Diawara, Gonzalo Villar... you name it, the list is long.</p>
<p id="cJWRfw">If Fiorentina decides to try and immediately win the ball back after giving it away in Roma’s half, can guys like Mancini and Ibañez handle the pressure now? Is one more summer's worth of experience enough to break those old habits, or will they make some new choices and hit it long to the frontline more often now? </p>
<p id="X5X8HO">The latter could be an equally valid option with guys like Shomurodov, Zaniolo, or potentially even Tammy Abraham fighting to get on the end of long-range passes from the likes of Mancini, Ibanez, and Cristante. Roma may just make a quarterback out of some of you, yet!</p>
<h3 id="9eMO8M">Will Fiorentina’s Passing Overwhelm Roma?</h3>
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<img alt="Football friendly match AS Roma - Raja club athletic Casablanca" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Qvc7mt6Nn5KWz-MgAl6VEdkfGPs=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22795969/1334610099.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="TUVHLP">It’s way too early days to find answers to what may be an over-arching theme of the Serie A campaign ahead, but some will be asking if Mourinho’s football will end up looking outdated in Serie A or whether it will find a home here. And, if Roma does manage to make a success of Mourinho’s stand-offish football, then does that make the Italian league Jurassic Park, even if the supposed “dinosaur era” tactics of Mourinho can win games?</p>
<p id="hUkAcR">Like it or not, it’s going to be in clashes against the “new school” coaches like Vincenzo Italiano where answers will be found. Though, realistically, this fixture has come way too early in the calendar to judge either man sitting on the respective club’s benches.</p>
<p id="GZV9MZ">What we do know is Italiano favors the collective approach to passing the ball rapidly out of the back, usually instructing a wide forward to drop deep when the Fiorentina full-back (or deep-lying midfielder) is ready to start the play upfield. </p>
<p id="wz0y5R">Meanwhile, the Fiorentina midfield stays mobile—with one of them running wide off the ball, with the aim of either dragging someone like Veretout or Cristante with them to open up the middle of the pitch—but the Viola midfield could remain free on the wing to overwhelm Roma’s wide men with sheer numbers.</p>
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<p id="hzSm8V"><em>(The above diagram is a little off because Italiano rarely favors a DM starting the play instead of his full-back and doesn’t really push up both full-backs at once. The important theme is Fiorentina potentially overloading either flank to outnumber Roma’s wide men who are standing back, in Roma’s 4-4-2 defensive shape, well off the Fiorentina ball-carrier).</em></p>
<p id="L1Yp35">That’s exactly the kind of pressure that Mourinho’s former teams in the Premier League came under, being outnumbered and outgunned as they watched opponents flood between the lines of Mourinho’s defensive shape. It’s one of the drawbacks of sitting back and inviting the opponent onto you: You need physically strong and mobile players (basically world-class players when it comes to individual duels) to fight back and dampen the opponent’s confidence. Otherwise, you’ll be standing static while the opponent is already up to speed.</p>
<p id="VKFuVO">We don’t know enough about Matias Viña to say whether he’s cast in that individual mold, but we know Rick Kasdorp isn’t used to being asked to go defensively mano-a-mano for an entire 90 minutes. A lot of questions marks will be on Karsdorp, Viña, and their deep-lying midfield partners Veretout and Cristante going into this match. Especially given what we highlighted earlier about the decisions Roma’s frontline could make off the ball.</p>
<p id="2qIN9R">If Roma’s frontline is planning to push up, they’ll either need the rest of the squad to push up with them, which is unlikely with Mourinho, or they'll be asking the wide forwards to do a lot of work in all phases of the game. </p>
<p id="ery650">It could be down to the wide men like Zaniolo and Shomurodov to help Viña and Karsdorp not get outnumbered, as one of either Veretout or Cristante will have their mind on shielding the deep-lying Roma backline.</p>
<h3 id="5Zo6DX">Can Roma’s Two-Man Power Trip Find Another Gear?</h3>
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<img alt="Eldor Shomurodov of AS Roma (R) celebrates with Nicolo..." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CjwOM4y4UwI7ujcKUHLyPB2uhCk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22796031/1234698445.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Antonietta Baldassarre/Insidefoto/LightRocket via Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="qjwxbn">The headline-grabbing theme to Roma’s summer mercato was everyone watching the Giallorosso frontline get younger, agile, and potentially ice-cold on the break. One partnership central to that theme will be the budding relationship between wide-forwards-turned-shadow-strikers Nicolò Zaniolo and Eldor Shomurodov working inside from both Roma flanks. </p>
<p id="ifPjvJ">And we can’t forget that Roma’s Two-Man Power Trip will soon be led by third-man Tammy Abraham at the front, while the whole trio enjoys a supply of ammo from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Lorenzo Pellegrini making up the rear. But that comes later this season.</p>
<p id="qRMJMz">These early weeks will largely be about the understanding Eldor and Zaniolo can strike up. And truthfully, Eldor’s CV (so far) suggests he isn’t the strongest player when it comes to individual defending from the front. </p>
<p id="eWvc9k">Yes, Eldor puts in a lot of work off the ball and is willing to throw himself into duels to trying winning it back, but his time at Genoa showed an eye-opening 15 tackles lost out of 19 tackles attempted; all of this in a little over eighteen 90-minute appearances during last season’s Serie A with Genoa. The guy simply doesn’t know when he’s beaten or when he’s walking with a knife into a gunfight; which is something that will either continue to be used against him by Serie A opposition, or exactly the right kind of spirit that can be molded by Mourinho into a more efficient player.</p>
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<img alt="AS Roma Training Session" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FIi-Byun6wDtEYaifcOCTh6G9-8=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22796097/1335248463.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Fabio Rossi/AS Roma via Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="aASyH1">Tammy Abraham is a similar story, as both himself and Eldor have the kind of tall frame that robs them of a little natural strength (at least in their early years) within individual duels. It’s really Zaniolo who stands out as the most physically robust, but Nico is coming off of two major injuries and it’s a lot to ask Zaniolo to press, tackle and sprint up and down that flank game after game. </p>
<p id="T0YOVf">At some point, you have to believe these Roma frontmen will figure out the right alchemy to divide the work up between them. Shomurodov and Abraham are probably much better off as shadow-pressers, hunting the ball in tandem with one of their other frontline teammates up there. Only one thing’s for certain this Sunday: Vincenzo Italiano’s teams don’t tend to mix it up in the midfield third.</p>
<p id="xBwZTG">That means tomorrow’s final score will be found in both defensive ends of the field. If Roma’s frontline can hit top gear, even for just a moment, they could beat the pre-match odds and make this a much higher scoring game than the late-August, roasting-hot, stalemate weather at kick-off time suggests on paper.</p>
https://www.chiesaditotti.com/2021/8/21/22634604/roma-fiorentina-match-previewdallagente