AS Roma will host Fiorentina on Sunday, August 22, in the opening round of the 2020/21 season of Serie A. AS Roma enter the match expected to kick off the season with a W, having made heavy investments into their squad in addition to signing Jose Mourinho as their head coach. But will they be able to deliver?
AS Roma vs Fiorentina
When: Sunday, August 22 – 20:45 CEST
Where: Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy
Weather: Clear, 26°C
Referee: Luca Pairetto (ITA)
Fiorentina and AS Roma will start their 2021/22 Serie A campaign tonight with a match at Stadio Olimpico in the Italian capital. That is the place where the hosts have won the previous two games against Fiorentina.
In fact, AS Roma won all of their last four meetings with the Viola and are without a single head-to-head loss since 2018. Are they going to win again? Let’s see!
The Start of Mourinho Era at AS Roma
There’s a new sheriff in town – Jose Mourinho is the new manager of AS Roma. He’s already made his debut as their coach in the Europa Conference League qualification when his team beat Turkish side Trabzonspor 2-1 in an away game.
Apart from having a new coach, AS Roma also have plenty of new faces in the locker room. In fact, this summer, they’ve spent more than €100 million on new signings.
Some of the biggest names they’ve signed so far include Tammy Abraham, who came from Chelsea. Eldor Shomurodov, another striker, has signed the contract as well.
AS Roma have managed to keep the core of their last season’s team, with Edin Dzeko as the only notable departure.
What’s causing a slight worry for Mourinho is that he won’t be able to count on several of his defenders. Chriss Smalling is injured, having suffered a thigh strain during practice. AS Roma will also be without Leonardo Spinazzola, who’s been out since getting injured at the Euro 2020 while playing for Italy.
Fiorentina Expected to Start Playing More Offensively
In the 2020-21 season, Fiorentina’s biggest problem was scoring. They have scored 47 goals in 38 games, which was 21 fewer than AS Roma. In fact, of all the teams that didn’t get relegated, only three scored fewer goals than Viola.
The same shouldn’t be the case in the 2021-22 season. Fiorentina are expected to play more offensive football, probably with a 4-3-3 formation. Dusan Vlahovic will be the man to watch in front, with Nicolas Gonzalez and Jose Callejon on the wings. In the midfield, we should see Erick Pulgar, Giacomo Bonaventura, and Youssef Maleh.
Against AS Roma, Fiorentina will be without Sofyan Amrabat and Lirola. Christian Kouamé will probably stay off the pitch as well, considering that he’s supposed to join Anderlecht.
AS Roma vs Fiorentina Betting Pick
With all the investments they have made during the offseason, it’s very clear that AS Roma have big plans for this term, hoping they can improve upon a relatively disappointing finish of the 2020-21 season. As a reminder, they finished in seventh place, missing out on the Champions League and Europa League competitions.
However, there’s a silver lining – AS Roma now have the luxury of putting all their energy into performing well domestically. And that’s what they’re planning to do with a new coach and plenty of new faces in the roster.
AS Roma look strong, and they have every right to feel confident about their future.
Prediction: AS Roma to win – 1.84 at Pinnacle
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