Roma-Bodo 4-0: Abraham and Zaniolo’s hat-trick, is the Semifinal of the Conference League

José Mourinho, after the third match played without beating Bodo Glimt, had said it: “There is only one to win, the next one”. And Roma did it (4-0 the final result): dragged by an overflowing Zaniolo, the Giallorossi for the second consecutive year are the last Italian team left in the European cups. Of course, the Conference League is neither the Champions nor the Europa League, but for the Olimpico audience the Bodo Glimt is as good as Liverpool or Manchester United. Between Roma and the final in Tirana, there is now only one other English player, Leicester, who won 2-1 in Eindhoven. Went to England on April 28, returned to the Olimpico a week later.

START SPRINT

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The week between the first leg and the return leg was full of tension: Knutsen, in the stands after the disqualification for the events after the first 90 ‘, was a spectator of the show of a Roma that took only 5’ to unlock the result. Zaniolo, from the left, crossed the ball hard towards Haikin’s goal, with the veil of Cristante who deceived the number 12 of Bodo, who left the ball there, on which Abraham threw himself for his twenty-fourth goal of the season. After building the action of the advantage, Zaniolo became the man of the match by posting, scoring in the 21st minute after a splendid action made up of first touches by Smalling, Mkhitaryan, Cristante, Abraham and Pellegrini. Zaniolo hadn’t scored since 23 January in Empoli, he made two in 16 ‘: on 39’, the number 22 turned Zalewski’s splendid break into gold, cutting centrally and beating Haikin with a delicious touch of the left.

MATCH CLOSED

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Nothing, compared to the third goal of the unforgettable evening by Zaniolo, who in the 4 ‘of the second half brought the ball forward before throwing it at the corner of the poles for the poker that put Roma away from nasty surprises and did also raise Francesco Totti to his feet to applaud. Zaniolo’s game, in his first hat-trick among the professionals (in the same match he stopped at two, against Porto in the Champions 2018-19) ended in the 59th minute due to a muscle discomfort: the audience (including the 1,500 fans who arrived from Norway ) gave him the right standing ovation, in his place Felix. Roma also managed in view of Naples, Mourinho also removed Pellegrini and Abraham tired (in Oliveira and Carles Perez, as well as Maitland-Niles for Zalewski and Veretout for Mkhitaryan); the Bodo – which in Europe came from 14 consecutive useful results, has practically never shot on goal. And Rui Patricio, who with his mistake had given the same to the Norwegians seven days ago, was able to enjoy a magical evening from a privileged position.