Cagliari drops the trio to Roma and sees salvation. Semplici’s team wins 3-2 on Fonseca’s formation at home and reaches 31 points by joining Benevento and Torino, who still have to play two more games, in third from last place. The Giallorossi instead remedy a knockout that leaves them at 55 points only +3 over Sassuolo. Roma presented themselves at the Sardegna Arena with the intention of honoring the challenge and remaining hooked as much as possible to Lazio’s sixth place but after the cold goal and the comeback gave way in the second half. Fonseca finds Smalling who needs to put minutes in his legs after the injury, re-proposes Fazio and confirms Mayoral in front, Carles Perez and Pellegrini behind him. Rest period in midfield for Veretout, then space for Diawara and Villar. Santon, who hasn’t played since October 18, on the right. Simple, however, in addition to the disqualified Nainggolan, must do without Gaston Pereiro, positive for covid.
At 4 ‘Cagliari immediately ahead: Nandez, served on the right by Joao Pedro, enters the area jumping Diawara, puts it in the middle, a heel shot by Joao Pedro for the rushing Lykogiannis who before, from the edge of the small area, puts on Pau Lopez. The Giallorossi reaction is there and on the 18th minute a great play by Carles Perez who goes away on the right to Lykogiannis, jumps Corboni concentrating, then from the edge he unloads the left that ends on the bottom just a little. Then at 22 ‘Vicario is about to combine it big on Pellegrini’s pressure, with the young Cagliari goalkeeper he was about to lose it in an attempt to relaunch. At 28 ‘verticalization of Pellegrini for Carles Perez, first conclusion on the post and then on the countered the Spaniard makes no mistake and signs the 1-1. The oma has a different attitude and at 35 ‘still Carles Perez crosses at the far post where Fazio with the head finds the big deviation for a corner by Vicario. Cagliari, however, needs points and starts attacking again: in the 49th minute Godin’s throw for Pavoletti who goes down on the pressure of Smalling, Simeone throws himself on the ball and finds the excellent closure of Pau Lopez. Shortly after Borja Mayoral wins a rebound in the area, then with his right tries to surprise Vicario who is good at deflecting for a corner. At 57 ‘the Sardinians double: Mancini’s wrong return, the ball goes to Simeone who serves Marin in the center, right from 20 meters and the ball to the right of Pau Lopez for the 2-1. Roma feel the pinch and suffer again: in the 64th minute Joao Pedro scores a 3-1 header and becomes the first Brazilian with at least 15 goals in two consecutive Serie A seasons after Kaka. Roma tries to get back into the game and in the 69th minute from a corner from the left beaten by Carles Perez, Fazio anticipates Godin and this time manages to overtake Vicario for a 3-2 header. At 78 ‘Rome close to equalization: on the developments of the corner Mancini with the head finds the great response of Vicario, then Joao Pedro from two steps sends back to the corner. Final siege of Rome which however does not find the equal goal and remedies the 10 defeat in the league. Giallorossi now focused on the double European challenge with Manchester United.