The Claudio Ranieri revolution is well underway at Roma, as a 2-2 draw with Bologna over the weekend extended the Gialorossi’s unbeaten streak to five matches in all competitions (W3, D2). This is their joint-longest run since March and has propelled them into the top half of the Serie A table. However, they still trail the top six by eight points heading into the weekend.
If Roma wants to close that gap, their strong home form will be crucial. They have won their last five matches at the Stadio Olimpico, which is their best streak since winning six in a row back in April. Ranieri also has a favorable history against Genoa, as a victory would give him a career managerial head-to-head record of 13 wins against no other team.
A potential record like that could instill fear in Genoa, who may already be anxious about their upcoming match at the Stadio Olimpico. They haven’t managed to defeat Roma since 1990 (D4, L20)! The visiting team is just one point behind their hosts, thanks to their unbeaten streak of three games since Christmas (W2, D1). However, Serie A is a tight competition, and they are also only five points ahead of the relegation zone.
Their recent improvement in performance has coincided with the arrival of Patrick Vieira, who has only lost one out of his eight matches as the manager (W3, D4). With their defense conceding just once in their last five away league games, they have built a solid defensive foundation that could lead them to victory in Rome. They should feel confident in their chances, especially considering their points per game average on the road (1.56), which is nearly double their home record (0.82).
Players to keep an eye on: Alexis Saelemaekers of Roma has recently scored in two consecutive games, marking the first time since April. He has an unbeaten record when he finds the back of the net for his senior club, with 15 wins and 5 draws. Mattia Bani from Genoa is among the few visiting players who have managed to secure an away victory against Roma during his time at Bologna. He has played every minute of his team’s last eight matches and has contributed to five clean sheets.
Interesting fact: Only two out of the nine away league games played by Genoa this season have witnessed goals from both teams, which is one of the lowest figures in the division.
