Roma-Juventus 1-0: goals from Mancini. Mourinho beats Allegri

A super goal from Mancini, so beautiful that at first he almost didn’t believe it was true either. A touch of magic was needed to erase the shame of Cremona and bring Roma back into the full Champions League area, in fourth place in cohabitation with Milan. For Juventus, on the other hand, the streak of three consecutive victories was interrupted and with it, probably, also the impossible dream of hooking up to the Champions League despite the -15. However, the bianconeri were also unlucky, considering the final three posts. And Allegri will also have to be heard with Kean, capable of getting kicked out after less than a minute of play. Mou, on the other hand, enjoys a victory that he feels even more than he does, considering the suspension of the disqualification and the risk of not being there.

Low pace

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Mou opts for the false nine, with Pellegrini and Wijnaldum behind Dybala (greeted with affection by all the black and whites before the start). Allegri, on the other hand, decides to gamble with the 3-5-1-1, with Di Maria supporting Vlahovic and Kostic and Cuadrado with the task of balancing the two phases. The result was a first half played at a slow pace, also because Mourinho’s game plan envisions Roma playing low (in the last 40 meters of the pitch) to then restart and hurt in the spaces. Except that at times the Giallorossi are too low and when it comes to going back up the team struggles and is split in two. In addition, Allegri immediately presses high and removes the passing lines from those who set up the game from below, with the consequence that Roma often have to lift the ball to overcome the pressure lines, but without having offensive references capable of keeping it. So for the first twenty minutes the game is always in the hands of Juventus, even if then you don’t see many opportunities. Indeed, the first chills are brought by Roma with an initiative by Dybala and an offensive sortie by Spinazzola, but nothing sensational, mind you. Spinazzola himself could push more towards Cuadrado, who struggles in the defensive phase, but the Giallorossi often goes with the handbrake on. On the other hand, however, Fagioli lost the right moment in the area, as had also happened to Di Maria at the beginning. Fideo plays across the pitch, tries to build, but after a saved shot by Dybala it is instead Rabiot who comes close to scoring, with a header that Rui Patricio deflects onto the post. He goes to rest like this, with the vial of emotions tending downwards.

Mancio-goal

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It starts again with Bonucci in place of Alex Sandro and the same game plan: lower Rome and Juve to play the game. First Rabiot and then Di Maria put in two good balls on which, however, no one came to close, while in the 8th minute on the other side Mancini caught the joker from 20 meters, with a right foot that left Szczesny no way out. Spinazzola then conceded the knockout ball, but stalled too much, while Cuadrado in the 13th minute hit the outside post from a free-kick. In short, now it’s a whole other game. Allegri plays the Chiesa card (for Fagioli) and switches to a 3-4-3, Mou instead responds by lowering Wijnaldum to thicken the midfield to cover the Giallorossi rearguard. Juve’s real problem is that Vlahovic never manages to get into the game and even when the right ball (incorrect back pass by Zalewski) gets there without the right malice. So Mou sends in Abraham and Bove, to give fresh energy to a team that has to defend, run and keep the ball as far away from its own area as possible. Kostic (yellow) risks a lot for a frustration foul on Ibanez, Di Maria scares Rui Patricio from outside and Juve hits the third post of his match from Di Maria’s corner (Mancini deflects towards his goal). The whole last part of the match goes on like this, with Roma defending now at 5 but struggling to recover and Juventus looking for the right hole to equalize. Allegri’s last move is Kean, who after just 45 seconds of play gets kicked out for a kick to Mancini after a play tackle. In the 98th minute the right opportunity fell on Danilo’s feet, but the shot was too central. Thus ends, with the Olimpico delirious and Juventus on their knees.