Collovati backs Roma to overcome Verona

Former Roma and Verona striker Maurizio Iorio has expressed confidence in head coach Gian Piero Gasperini's ability to lead the club to sustained success. Speaking ahead of Roma's crucial match against Verona, Iorio praised Gasperini's impact in his first season, saying: "The coach has made a strong impression, has shaped an important group in his first year, offered attractive football: the Champions League is well deserved. That would allow the club to have more economic strength for new investments. I see a rosy future. Roma is ready to open a new horizon, a winning cycle, and has fantastic supporters alongside it, for me the first in Italy." Iorio highlighted Donyell Malen as a powerful attacking threat, noting his ability to create danger from wide positions and comparing him to Vialli for the way defenders react to his movement. On the prospect of pairing him with another striker, Iorio suggested the solution already exists within the squad. He commented on Paulo Dybala: "Dybala doesn't need any introduction. If I were him, I would stay at Roma. Paulo is not greedy and the club has a future and will bring home a trophy with Gasperini." Roma's performance under Gasperini this season has reportedly earned them qualification to European competition. The upcoming Verona fixture is seen as decisive for the club's final standing.

Former Roma manager Fabio Capello has assessed Roma's position in the race for the top four, with the club facing Verona in a decisive fixture. Roma and Milan enter the evening with their Champions League destiny in their own hands, and Capello believes Roma holds the advantage. He told Gazzetta dello Sport: "Roma is in very good form, has done important things recently, has shown consistency in play and team performance. They've also recovered all their players, for example Dybala: this means that Gasperini only has to get his choices right." Capello acknowledged the threat posed by Verona, a recently relegated side that has troubled top teams this season. "It's not straightforward to face a relegated team that will have ease of play and a feeling of revenge towards the championship. However, Roma on paper seems like the favourite to me," he explained. The former coach noted that Verona has proven problematic for Juventus, Como, and Inter, but maintains Roma's current form and full squad availability puts them in the strongest position heading into tonight's match.

Roma legend Aldair has spoken about the upcoming match against Verona, describing it as a crucial contest. During an interview with La Repubblica, Aldair also commented on Francesco Totti's long-standing desire to return to the club. Totti, who spent his entire playing career at Roma from 1992 to 2017 and scored 307 goals for the Giallorossi, has been in discussions about a potential return for the club's 2027 centenary celebrations. Aldair's remarks highlight the significance Roma places on the Verona fixture and the enduring connection between Totti and the club.