After securing Europa League qualification on Thursday night, Roma are looking to keep the feelgood factor going at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday when they welcome SPAL.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Roma (4-2-3-1): Pau Lopez; Spinazzola, Fazio, Cetin, Kolarov; Diawara, Veretout; Zaniolo, Pellegrini, Mkhitaryan; Dzeko.
Suspended: Mancini.
Unavailable: Smalling, Santon, Kluivert, Pastore, Cristante, Zappacosta, Mirante.
SPAL (4-4-2): Berisha; Cionek, Vicari, Tomovic, Igor; Murgia, Valdifiori, Missiroli, Strefezza; Floccari, Petagna.
Suspended: Kurtic.
Unavailable: Reca, Sala, Fares, D’Alessandro.
KEY STATISTICS
– SPAL were the only team to beat Roma both home and away in the 2018-19 Serie A campaign.
– SPAL have won only two of their 17 Serie A away games against Roma (D6 L9), though one of these was in this exact fixture last season (2-0 in October).
– In their last 10 league games Roma have had an average of 0.6 goals conceded (six in total), while in the first five the average was 1.8 (nine goals conceded).
– After a win, two draws and a defeat in their first four home games of this season, Roma won each of the last three, always scoring at least two goals.
– No team has scored fewer goals than SPAL in the top five European leagues this season (nine, level with Watford).
– SPAL gained only one point in their seven away games of this Serie A season (one goal scored): the Estensi have never gained fewer in their first seven away games in a Serie A season (one point also in 1956/57 and 1960/61).
– Roma have scored 12 goals from set-piece situations in Serie A this season, more than any other team – in 2018/19. the Giallorossi scored fewer only than Juventus in this manner (22 v 23).
– SPAL are the only team in Serie A this season yet to score a headed goal, while in the Serie A 2018/19 the Estensi led this ranking with 18 headed goals.
– Lorenzo Pellegrini’s first goal for Roma in Serie A came against SPAL, back in December 2017 – only Luis Alberto (11) has provided more assists than the former Sassuolo midfielder (six) in this Serie A season.
– Andrea Petagna has scored two goals in two Serie A games played for SPAL against Roma, including his first away goal with the Estensi in October 2018.
Source: forzaitalianfootball.com