The Giallorossi must compete in the 38th and last game of the 2022–2023 season while the Romaverse is still suffering from Wednesday's contentious loss to Sevilla in the Europa League final. Many believed this would be Roma's pinnacle achievement because they had the virtually unbeatable Paulo Dybala at their disposal.
While few, including myself, identified Roma as a championship candidate in August, with the abilities of Dybala and manager José Mourinho, Roma felt like a lock to make it back to the Champions League at the very least. Yet as is sometimes the case with this team, their hopes were dashed by lengthy suspensions, shots that clanged against the walls missed calls, and a long list of minor ailments.
Roma vs. Spezia: June 4th, 15:00 CET/3:00 EDT. Stadio Olimpico, Roma.
We'll reserve the postseason unpacking for the next week, but it goes without saying that Roma would have had a lot less trouble if they had won last Wednesday. Roma's five-year hiatus from the sport's top club tournament would have ended with a win over Sevilla, giving the team an automatic spot in the Champions League for the upcoming season.
Roma's route to playing in Europe in 2024 isn't fully closed despite Wednesday's heartbreaking setback, making tomorrow's 38th and final game more important than it would initially appear.
What to Watch For
A Win and They're In
The Europa League may be the furthest thing from your mind right now given how recent Wednesday's injury was, but a victory over Spezia would guarantee Roma a position in the 2023–2024 tournament and lock them into sixth place in Serie A.
Another season in the EL would provide José Mourinho (or his eventual successor) with an additional opportunity to test his club's mettle against opponents from other continents, despite the fact that it lacks the glamour and glitz of the Champions League and offers a significant smaller financial injection. Roma can use all of the money the Europa League brings, however, how little it may be.
Many of us would like to skip the European competition entirely next season if we could, but the Giallorossi could be inspired by Wednesday's loss. Consider the 2014 San Antonio Spurs as an illustration. The Spurs blasted all the way back to the NBA Finals the next season, humbling Lebron James and the Heat in a 4-1 series blowout. This came after they lost to the Miami Heat in the 2013 NBA Finals.
A good old-fashioned vendetta can help Roma achieve higher heights next season, especially if Mourinho and Dybala—who each took the team's loss to Sevilla quite hard—return. We may be reaching deep for motivating strategies here.
Who is Going to Play Today?
Considering what we just mentioned, Mourinho has a great chance of making tomorrow's game a prospect fan's fantasy come true. While players like Tammy Abraham, Georginio Wijnaldum, and Andrea Belotti, among others, might make their final appearance for Roma in the Spezia game, Mourinho could just as easily start a squad full of U-23 hopefuls.
In reality, Edoardo Bove, who is only 21 years old, appears destined to play a regular part next season and beyond, has recently shared the pitch with U-23s like Benjamin Tahirovic, Filippo Missori, and Mile Svilar.
Naturally, if Mourinho takes this approach and Roma loses, we could have to prepare for the Europa Conference League the next season, so count on the Portuguese manager to change up his starting lineup.
Hey, We Can Still Top Juventus!
The Old Lady of Italian Football received a 10-point deduction from their league standing instead of the initial 15-point reduction that was originally imposed earlier this spring due to some, shall we say, accounting problems. Juve is currently stuck in seventh position, one point below Roma, despite the fact that their appeal allowed them to preserve some face.
Even though it required a legal miracle, a victory tomorrow would ensure that Roma finishes ahead of Juventus for the first time since the 2010–2011 campaign, when, oddly, they ended in sixth and seventh place, respectively. It's not often that the Giallorossi top the Old Lady on the table.
A small consolation prize, admittedly, but still something to hang our hats on
Click here for more trending news
You can also follow us on our Twitter page
You can also follow us on our Tumblr page
You can also follow us on our Pinterest page