Romavs.Monza

After going nine league games without defeat, the Giallorossi progressed to the Europa League's last 16 in midweek; meanwhile, their visitors are in danger of being cut adrift.

Match preview

After holding their Portuguese counterparts to a draw in last week's opener, Roma reconvened with Porto on Thursday evening, for the second leg of their knockout round playoff.

The Italian side had lost all three prior ties between the clubs in UEFA competition, but Paulo Dybala's brilliant brace helped them secure a 3-2 win on the night and a 4-3 aggregate victory.

Avoiding arch-rivals Lazio in the subsequent draw, Roma will soon face Athletic Bilbao in the last 16 - but first they have two Serie A fixtures to contend with, against Como and Monza.

Claudio Ranieri's side have been revived since the veteran coach returned to Rome, and last week's 1-0 win in Parma made it 21 points from their last nine league matches - a tally unmatched by any other team during that time.

Though they still sit ninth in the standings, having made such a slow start, the Giallorossi have also won their last two while keeping clean sheets, and they have conceded the fewest goals (five) this calendar year.

Following four straight Serie A home wins and then a 1-1 draw with Napoli - the latter salvaged via Angelino's dramatic last-gasp leveller - they now aim to continue that hot streak at Stadio Olimpico.

After Dany Mota's goal earned them a 1-1 draw in October's reverse fixture, Monza will again seek a first top-flight victory over Roma, having failed to topple their capital-city counterparts in five Serie A meetings.

However, the Brianzoli are in disarray as they prepare for Monday's clash, having recently fired Salvatore Bocchetti - who lost six of his seven games in charge - and re-hired former Italy star Alessandro Nesta.

The latter had managed only one win from 17 before his dismissal, and his comeback could not inspire Monza to record just their third league victory of the season.

Held to a goalless draw by fellow strugglers Lecce 0-0, the Biancorossi have now failed to score in three of their last four outings - albeit they did find the net when visiting the Olimpico, in a 5-1 defeat by Lazio.

Nesta's men are seven points adrift of safety with 13 games remaining, and they must now try to defy all the odds and end a dismal road record: Monza have lost their last five away games, always conceding at least two goals.

Roma Serie A form:

D

W

W

D

W

W

Roma form (all competitions):

D

L

W

D

W

W

Monza Serie A form:

W

L

L

L

L

D

Team News

Roma's top Serie A scorer Artem Dovbyk pulled out of the second leg against Porto with a thigh strain, and it remains to be seen whether he can recover in time for Monday's game; Uzbek striker Eldor Shomurodov is on standby to deputise.

Otherwise, Ranieri should have plenty of scope to rotate, with no other absences to concern him.

Bryan Cristante and Alexis Saelemaekers are both back in the fold after serving Europa League bans, while January signing Devyne Rensch returned from injury in midweek.

Meanwhile, Monza still have a long injury list, featuring Stefano Sensi, Roberto Gagliardini, Samuele Birindelli, Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro and captain Matteo Pessina.

As defensive duo Luca Caldirola and Stefan Lekovic are also doubts - and Armando Izzo is sidelined by suspension - Inter Milan loanee Tomas Palacios will vie with Arvid Brorsson to join Danilo D'Ambrosio and Andrea Carboni in the Biancorossi's back three.

Set to support either Keita Balde or Silvere Ganvoula up front, Mota has been waiting since October for a league goal; since then, only two Serie A forwards have attempted more shots without finding the net (20).

Roma possible starting lineup:

Svilar; Rensch, Mancini, Ndicka; Saelemaekers, Kone, Paredes, Angelino; Dybala, Pellegrini; Shomurodov

Monza possible starting lineup:

Turati; D'Ambrosio, Palacios, Carboni; Pereira, Urbanski, Bianco, Kyriakopoulos; Ciurria, Mota; Ganvoula

We say: Roma 2-0 Monza

On a high from recent feats in Europe and Serie A, only complacency could stop Roma making it 10 league games without losing.

Written by

Jonathan O'Shea

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