The AC Milan Women will face Roma at the Tre Fontane Stadium this Saturday, on Serie A matchday 19, and the outcome of this match is critical for the rossonere to get past through the tougher, and final, month of the season a bit more at ease.
Once again, Milan Reports brings to you a very special pre-match analysis, with facts, numbers and a special interview with fans and social influencers from the other side of the fence.
Our guest for today’s pre-match “Knowing your Oponent” is Leonardo Frenquelli, Editor on Il Romanista:
1 - How do you rate Roma's season so far?
“It’s a good, potentially exceptional, but with some regrets. In Serie A, the Champions League spot seemed already lost in the last weeks of 2020: Roma paid dearly for the many missed opportunities, important absences, and the after-effects of the change of ownership of the club. After the Supercoppa Italiana match loss, I might add undeservedly, against Juve on January 6 they reached the turning point. The transition from 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1, the arrival of Linari, plus some balance in the team and some certainties the emerged from it (on and off the pitch), have given the Giallorosse that "big team" aspect, which can win 11 of their last 13 games this year between Serie A and Coppa Italia. The regrets, however, are there: if that breakthrough had come earlier, the team could now have been in the fight with the first two in the table. It is a potentially exceptional year for the feat against Juve in the Coppa Italia semifinal, which allow them to carry on with the dream of winning a title this May, while in the league Roma will defend the "prestige" of a fourth-place finishing, though keeping an eye on third place Sassuolo.”
2 - Do you like how the team is playing?
“The 4-2-3-1 designed by Bavagnoli gives the team the opportunity to enhance all the talent of its players. It is a game of possession and fast passes that exploits both the wider areas of the pitch, the refinement in the attacking areas of the midfield and the defensive security acquired along the way. When Roma play well, they are among the most entertaining teams in the whole Serie A.”
3 - What are the strengths of the Giallorosse? And what do you think are the weak points?
“Roma have always leaned so much on the strength of the group, which has, for example, allowed them to turn the away game with Fiorentina or to knock Juve, the so-called “champions of evereything”, out of the Coppa Italia of everything. Also, there are players (Linari and Serturini particularly) who guarantee performance and continuity and allow the team to approach the matches in the right way, finding different solutions the team needed. Their weaknesses, now, are few, but sometimes the memories of those missed opportunities and the difficulties due to the many injuries (especially in midfield) come back to haunt them.”
4 - Do you think this weekend's match will be a preparation for the Coppa Italia final?
“Roma v AC Milan is always Roma v AC Milan. The two teams know each other and respect each other, so in the league, this game will undoubtedly be an important challenge, even if regarding the point table and on paper, it seems to be already settled (unless something unexpected happens for Juve). There is a whole month between the Serie A match and the Coppa Italia final and that's already a historic appointment for both teams. This game on May 1st will be an appetizer, an more opportunity to study each other better for the big final on Coppa Italia. “
5 - Who are the star players of this team? Who should AC Milan keep an eye on in this fixture?
“As I mentioned before, Linari and Serturini are the most effective and regular Roma players. The former Bordeaux player has made an impressive impact on the pitch, with her on the pitch, the team can press the opponent higher in the field and recover the ball sooner, and in the dressing room, where she is already a leader and an important figure. The winger is one of the brightest talents in our football, the best markswoman in the history of the club and the only one who’ve always deliveries high quality performances throughout the whole season, even when her teammates struggled to find some balance and delivery good outings on regular basis. Also, having grown exponentially this season, Swaby, Soffia, Thomas and Lazaro have improved a lot and there are others who, whether fit, once again proved that they know how to make a difference (such as Andressa, Giugliano and Bernauer).”
Focus on Roma’s game
Formation and Starting XI
AS Roma’s coach Elisabetta Bavagnoli, as Leonardo said, switched to a 4-2-3-1 formation and apparently have found the perfect balance for the Giallorrosse on the pitch:
Ceasar; Bartoli, Swaby, Linari, Soffia; Giugliano, Bernauer; Thomas, Bontanfini, Serturini; Lazaro.
The road so far:
After a poor start of the season, Roma have found their way and are delivering good performances on regular basis. They have won 5 of the last 6 games, and sit fourth on league table with 34 points, 6 points shy from third place Sassuolo (40) and with a comfortable 7 points-advantage from Empoli (27).
Last Serie A game for the Giallorosse:
On Matchday 18 of Serie A, Roma managed to get a comeback win against Fiorentina 1-2, with Baldi breaking the deadlock for the Viola and Giugliano and Serturini turning it to Roma’s favor.
The rossonere have the advantage on the paper:
AC Milan Women and AS Roma have faced each other 5 times until today, and the rossonere have never lost a game against them, scoring 13 goals, and conceding 4, an 2,6-average goal per game. In their last encounter, Valentina Giacinti scored from the penalty spot to give Milan the win on Serie A matchday 8.
Where and When:
The match takes place on the Tre Fontane Stadium this Saturday, May 1st, at 15:00 CEST and you will be able to see it on TIMVISION app and, probably, on the AC Milan official app and Roma TV.
