Can Roma Solidify Hold on Fifth With Win Over Udinese?

Roma may have had its best week in years over the course of the past seven days, as Daniele De Rossi’s men won in a tactically astute fashion against both their arch-rivals S.S. Lazio and their Europa League quarter-finals opponent A.C. Milan. Many anticipated that Roma wouldn’t be up to snuff against Milan and that this may be the end of the road for the Giallorossi in the Europa League; yet somehow, Roma will be hosting Milan at the Olimpico with a 1-0 advantage heading into the second leg. Avoiding a high-scoring draw or a loss will get Roma even closer to European glory.

In the interim, Roma must continue their Serie A schedule, and with that comes tomorrow’s match against Udinese. Udinese aren’t at the peak of their powers these days; Toto Di Natale isn’t walking through that door, and neither is Destiny Udogie. Yet it would be a mistake for Roma to brush off the importance of this match, if only because the Giallorossi should know just how quickly a European tie can shift. Letting this match turn into a “scheduled draw” through too much rotation could set up a worst-of-both-worlds scenario, where Roma allows Atalanta back into the mix for fifth while also eventually crashing out of the Europa League against Milan.

That worst-case scenario needs to be avoided if the Giallorossi wants to truly deserve Champions League football next season. Based on his performances so far as a manager, I have complete faith in De Rossi’s ability to rotate just enough tomorrow that Roma can fight for victory in both competitions. Still, Romanisti should pay attention to this match; it just might let us know which players hold Daniele De Rossi’s faith.

What To Watch For

Will Tammy Abraham Get The Start?

Photo by Domenico Cippitelli/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Tammy Abraham’s long recovery from his ACL tear has been well-documented, but the fact of the matter is that the loan signing of Romelu Lukaku took away most (if not all) of the sting of the loss of the Englishman. I can comfortably say that Roma’s weakest point this season has not been at the striker position, with Sardar Azmoun looking like quite a capable backup and Andrea Belotti being sent out on loan because he just couldn’t earn himself minutes behind Lukaku and Azmoun.

The return of Abraham is quite intriguing, though, because it gives Roma a chance to think about the long-term future of the striker position under Daniele De Rossi. if Roma can get Champions League football, will they look to extend Romelu Lukaku’s loan, or will they put their faith in a fully-healed Abraham alongside everyone’s favorite Iranian striker? Tomorrow’s match may give us a chance to see just how feasible that second option is for the Giallorossi, as the rumor mill suggests that Abraham will be making his first start for Roma since the end of the 2022/2023 season.

If Abraham is able to show his stuff to a similar level as what we grew to expect from him during his first star-making season in Rome, then Champions League or no Champions League, it might spell the end of Romelu Lukaku in Rome. If he looks like a true shell of himself? Roma’s striker decision-making process becomes even more interesting — and who knows, maybe Roma’s next GM will decide to sell as high as possible on the English international. My hope is that Tammy’s comeback happens at the Olimpico, though, because personality-wise, he’s one of my favorite strikers that Roma has had in the last decade.

Which Young Midfielder Gets The Starting Nod?

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While Tammy Abraham may be under some pressure to prove his worth to his club, neither of Roma’s two ingenues in the midfield have much to worry about when it comes to their long-term security at the Stadio Olimpico. Both Edoardo Bove and Tommaso Baldanzi are seen as key cogs in the Roma of the future, and both players have consistently shown an ability to play to the standard required of the Italian U-21 National Team and Serie A football.

Yet all the hype and all the sub appearances in the world can’t replace consistent play time for either of these players right now, and that’s the one thing neither Bove nor Baldanzi have been receiving under Daniele De Rossi. Now, that’s for an entirely good reason, which is that Roma’s midfield has been world-class ever since DDR took over as Roma’s manager. Even if you consider Baldanzi as more of a vice-Dybala, it’s become clear that even under De Rossi’s leadership, this club lives and dies through La Joya, making it hard for Baldanzi to truly breakthrough in his new kit. As for Bove, Lorenzo Pellegrini has looked like a world-class midfielder for the past few months, and Bryan Cristante and Leandro Paredes have provided the appropriate balance to his creatively-minded style. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?

Tomorrow then represents a chance for one of these two players to once again force themselves into the conversation for starters’ minutes in the midfield, either for now, as the season winds down, or for the start of next season. If either Baldanzi or Bove gets the start against Udinese (which I consider likely due to the upcoming Europa League return leg against Milan), they then need to play to their best, no ifs, ands, or buts. Pellegrini, Paredes, and Cristante may all be playing at their best right now, but with multiple competitions still in play, there are plenty of minutes to go around — if the youngsters prove they deserve them.

Match Details

Date: Sunday, April 14th

Kickoff: 18:00 CET/12:00 EDT

Venue: Stadio Friuli, Udine