Roma Without Champions League Changes Everything: Economic Comparison with Italian Giants

Fabio Capello has assessed AS Roma's fixture list for the upcoming season in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. Capello expects Roma to start the new campaign with the same certainty and quality they showed at the end of the previous season, given that Gasperini is the new head coach. However, he warns that the early schedule presents significant challenges. Capello highlighted that Roma will not face any newly promoted teams in their opening ten fixtures—an unusual circumstance that leaves them vulnerable to a demanding run of matches. The Giallorossi will encounter Inter, Napoli, Como, Atalanta, and Fiorentina during this period, alongside difficult away trips to Torino and Udinese. Roma's opening match will be against Fiorentina, while their season concludes with an away fixture at Cagliari. Capello stated: "Knowing Gasperini, I expect a Roma that in August restarts from the certainties and the brilliance with which it ended this season. The schedule is not, however, very straightforward: the Giallorossi will not face any newly promoted sides in the first ten matches, but instead they will come up against Inter, Napoli, Como, Atalanta, Fiorentina… plus complicated away trips like those with Torino and Udinese."

Roma's tactical development is being shaped by the rapid growth of academy talents, with midfielder Niccolò Pisilli playing a key role in the team's set-piece strategy. The data surrounding corner-kicks has become a positive factor for head coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Pisilli's contribution to Roma's corner-kick approach is viewed as an encouraging sign for the club's evolving tactical system. The Giallorossi continue to rely on young homegrown players as central pillars of their tactical framework under Gasperini's direction.

Roma finished third in the Serie A standings and secured Champions League qualification, but their away record reveals a significant weakness. The Giallorossi rank seventh in Serie A for points earned on the road, indicating consistent difficulty when playing away from the Stadio Olimpico. This disparity between home and away performance highlights an area requiring attention as Roma prepare for the new season. The contrast suggests that while Roma have been competitive overall, their struggles in away fixtures have prevented them from challenging for the title.