Atalanta-Roma 3-1! Gasperini knocks Mourinho down and returns to the fight for the Champions League

Atalanta is back in the race for direct qualification for the next Champions League by beating Roma (3-1) and ruining José Mourinho’s hundredth Giallorossi bench. Deserved the success of the Goddess who scores with Pasalic, Toloi and Koopmeiners. Pellegrini’s momentary 2-1 goal was useless as it didn’t revive a tired team after extra time in the Europa League on Thursday against Feyenoord and struggling with too many injuries.

PASALIC GOAL

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Gasperini, still without Lookman, focuses on a 3-4-2-1, with Koopmeiners and Pasalic behind Zapata, without a hit since 9 November; Mourinho, without the injured Smalling, puts Llorente in the center of the defensive trio and initially brings a not at the top Dybala to the bench to deploy Abraham forward, with Pellegrini and Solbakken as attacking midfielders. The match was intense and very tactical right from the start: the two teams played side by side and all-out duels followed one another. The Nerazzurri often put Ederson under pressure, the Giallorossi responded by trying to shield De Roon with Solbakken, also called upon to hurt with the counterattacks. The Goddess is unable to get the ball moving quickly because Roma are well-disposed and because Zapata up front is often isolated. The first half hour goes without shots on goal and the match is anything but spectacular. In the 35th minute Zalewski tries from outside, but his shot is deflected for a corner, while Pasalic’s, four minutes later, ends behind Rui Patricio. Well done Scalvini to recover the ball from Abraham and to serve Zapata who disorients Celik and crosses in the middle for the Croatian’s third goal in Serie A, lost by Ibanez. Roma responded before the interval with a high blow from Abraham over the crossbar, but overall the first fraction of Mourinho’s men was disappointing: without Matic, Cristante and Bove they struggled to set up and the team didn’t turn on.

FINAL EMOTIONS

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Roma give the impression of starting the second half better, with a header just off the target from Abraham, but it’s only an illusion. Atatata responds with a shot from De Roon and above all does not ease the pressure in the middle of the field to prevent the guests from setting up easily. Forward Zapata does a great job on the side and in protecting the ball, so the Giallorossi are unable to take control of the pace of the match. Mou decides to make a change by making four substitutions all together: in the 19th minute Matic, Spinazzola El Shaarawy and Dybala come in, Bove, Zalewski, Mancini and Solbakken come out. Roma switch to a 4-2-3-1 formation and raise their center of gravity a lot thanks to the greater quality they have on the pitch, Gasperini reverses the wingers (Zappacosta goes on the right against El Shaarawy, Maehle on the left), then inserts Palomino for the injured Djimsiti. And as soon as Palomino entered, he headed Koopmeiners’ corner, Rui Patricio rejected and Toloi put in the 2-0 tap-in. The Giallorossi try to respond with Dybala, but Joya, who is not at her top and often touches her adductor, misses the mirror on two occasions. Mourinho plays all out with Belotti for Abraham, Dea responds with Hojlund for Pasalic and Demiral for Maehle. The Special One’s move pays off because the Rooster makes the edge for Pellegrini’s goal, in the third consecutive center. The match, which seems to have reopened, is however immediately closed by the sensational error made by Rui Patricio who lets the ball slip away and allows Koopmeiners to sign the 3-1. Pellegrini stamps the post, the number 30 (!) of the season, and the Roma match ends at that moment because Dybala, hit hard by Palomino, remains on the pitch because the substitutions have run out and the team is already ten thanks to the injury muscle of Llorente.