SPAL vs AS Roma 17/03/19

17 March 2019

The Serie A relegation fighters and the Champions League promotion contenders go head-to-head as SPAL welcome AS Roma.

A disastrous 11-game home Serie A winless run (D6, L5) has brought the hosts into a difficult spot as they currently reside 16th with just two-point lead over relegation-threatened Bologna. Not only SPAL failed to wrap up all three points at home since September, but they have scored just three goals in their last six LL home outings. Another potential setback for Gli Spallini is that they’ve struggled to cope with the likes of Serie A top-ten teams, losing three of four clashes at this venue (D1, L3), while conceding 2+ match goals in each defeat. The burning issue Leonardo Semplici has to work on at the moment is that the Biancazzurri have failed to preserve a clean slate in eight of their last nine SA games allowing over 1.5 match goals three times in the process.

Although Claudio Ranieri failed to impress on his debut, the visitors have still picked up all three points against Empoli to preserve their chances of reaching the Champions League promotion. Sitting three points beyond fourth-placed Inter Milan, the Giallorossi have to beat the team to whom they’ve lost 2-0 at home during the first half of the season. Roma’s attacking approach has seen all six of their previous road games across all competitions produce over 2.5 goals. In that period, La Lupa have scored over 2.5 goals per match three times, while failing to keep a clean sheet in five. To make things even more challenging for Ranieri, Roma have conceded over 1.5 goals per match five times in their previous seven road clashes.