Man United vs Roma player ratings: Balerdi's error costs Roma at Old Trafford

Bryan Cristante has said Roma must review and understand where they need to improve after their 3-2 defeat at Manchester United. Speaking in the mixed zone, the Giallorossi midfielder called the loss a disappointment. Cristante said: "We need to review and understand where we must improve." He also addressed the penalty that helped Manchester United, saying: "The penalty has recharged them, but the contact was light. The defeat is a shame."

Roma threw away a first-half lead and lost 3-2 to Manchester United at Old Trafford. Matías Soulé and Donyell Malen had given the Giallorossi the advantage early in the match, but the team fell apart after the restart and allowed the hosts to turn the game around. The defeat came in a disastrous second half for the visitors, who had been ahead from the opening minutes.

Bryan Cristante has said Roma must work to stop making the same mistakes, admitting the squad lacks the habit of managing a game after a comeback defeat at Manchester United in the fourth round of Serie A. Roma were 2-0 up at one stage before losing, and Cristante acknowledged the pattern of late collapses is becoming a concern. Cristante said the team started well and produced a very strong first half that could have ended with more than a 2-0 lead. He accepted that Manchester United are a strong side who become difficult to contain once they find their moment, but added that Roma needed to do more, especially as they had already been through the same situation. He also said the penalty award looked very doubtful to him, while stressing that the club must review the match closely and understand where they go wrong, because the comebacks are starting to pile up. Asked whether the team lacks the habit of managing a game, Cristante said that may be the case and that everyone behind the ball must be more focused. "Even today we were 2-0 up, sometimes you can drop back but without conceding too much," he said. On whether the defeat could be part of a growth process, he said: "We must take the positive things. We played a very good first half against a strong team in a stadium like that, even though they are not at their best moment. We must learn, we know this is a point where we must improve. We will work on it and try to understand where we are making mistakes." Asked whether the United pressure in the second half had surprised Roma, Cristante said: "Maybe we also dropped back a little, thinking we could hold the result. It is a combination of factors. In the second half we managed to keep the ball very little, we did not shoot much and we could not breathe with the ball."

Roma threw away a first-half lead and lost 3-2 to Manchester United at Old Trafford. Matías Soulé and Donyell Malen had given the Giallorossi the advantage early in the match, but the team fell apart after the restart and allowed the hosts to turn the game around. The defeat came in a disastrous second half for the visitors, who had been ahead from the opening minutes.

Roma suffered another damaging Champions League defeat, losing 3-2 at Old Trafford to Manchester United after leading by two goals. Gian Piero Gasperini's side dominated the first half, with Matías Soulé opening the scoring and Donyell Malen converting a penalty. The lead looked set to give Roma a magical evening, but they collapsed mentally in the second half and allowed the Red Devils back into the game. United's comeback began with a missed penalty that was ordered to be retaken, and Bruno Fernandes converted the second attempt. Roma's problems deepened when Leonardo Balerdi made a clamorous error that gave Cunha the equaliser for 2-2. Three minutes later Cunha scored again to make it 3-2, sending the Old Trafford crowd into ecstasy. The result, following a similar collapse against Real Madrid, makes Roma's path through the Champions League considerably harder. The match ratings gave Cunha 7.5 for turning the game around, Soulé 7 for his goal, which was not enough to save the result, and Balerdi 5 for his decisive error.

Leonardo Balerdi's two errors in the final minutes turned a comfortable Roma lead at Old Trafford into a painful defeat, with United coming back to win after Roma had been 2-0 up. Roma had dominated the first half under Gian Piero Gasperini, going 2-0 up through Soulé and a Malen penalty, with Balerdi outstanding at the heart of the defence, making ferocious interceptions, playing the ball out with authority and dominating his area. The match then followed the pattern of the recent defeat to Real Madrid: Roma stopped running, suffered constantly and let United back into the game. The decisive moment came in the 83rd minute. Balerdi was well placed to win the ball, an ordinary play for a player who had been the best on the pitch until then, but he slipped and missed it, allowing Cunha to score the 2-2 equaliser. Three minutes later he was again at fault, with the ball for United's 3-2 goal coming through his mistake, the second consecutive error that completed the collapse. Cunha was sent off for a second yellow card shortly afterwards, but the damage was done and Roma lost three points. Balerdi had been in a race for a starting place with N'Dicka until the last moment, but Gasperini preferred him for his dynamism and pace. He was not at full fitness, having not played in the last 180 minutes because of a knee problem. Gasperini deployed him as the central figure of a three-man defence alongside Mancini and Hermoso, specifically to mark Matheus Cunha, who was playing as a number nine for Carrick. Balerdi had earlier been impressive in a double against Napoli, which had convinced Roma to prepare a buy-back option worth over €11 million with Marseille, and he had previously been on Juventus's transfer radar. The article describes the result as leaving Roma battered, with the lesson that dominating like giants is not enough; the side must learn not to fall asleep at the crucial moment.

Roma threw away a first-half lead and lost 3-2 to Manchester United at Old Trafford in the fourth matchday of the Champions League League Phase. Soulé gave Roma the lead with a delightful control and a cool left-foot finish in front of Lammens, and Malen doubled the advantage from the penalty spot. United fought back through Bruno Fernandes, whose penalty came after a contested decision by referee Gil Manzano, and then a Cunha double sealed the comeback. Roma dominated the first half but could not hold on after the break, as the home crowd swelled and United grew in confidence. The collapse came after the interval, when Roma lost possession, shape and composure. Vásquez saved Bruno Fernandes's first penalty, but the referee ordered it retaken and he could not stop the second. Mancini was involved in the contact with Cunha that led to the spot kick, which the report describes as a very debatable call. Balerdi had been outstanding for more than 80 minutes, dominating the defence with authority, precision and quick recoveries, before missing the ball at the centre of the box from a Bruno Fernandes cross, which gave Cunha the equaliser. Hermoso also struggled after the break, fading along with the rest of the back line. Rodrigo Mora was rated 7 for his vision and passing, and his interval withdrawal was felt keenly, with Roma losing quality, unpredictability and the ability to frighten United. Soulé was also rated 7 for his first-half display, though he faded in the second. Malen scored his penalty with composure but faded after the break. Cristante was rated 6.5 for a commanding first half, and Wesley was praised for his defensive covers, though he was too erratic going forward. Pisilli, who came on for Mora at 46 minutes, was rated 5 and was described as having failed to add quality or energy to midfield. Rensch played only 22 minutes and was not rated, as he was injured, and Lulli came on for him and was rated 5. Ghilardi replaced Mancini at 75 minutes and Ndicka replaced Hermoso at the same time, both rated 6, while Castro came on for Malen at 78 minutes and was rated 5.5. De Roon was rated 5.5 after a first half in which he was tireless but a second half in which he was overrun. Gasperini was rated 5. The report said Roma were a side of two faces and that the coach's changes did not work, with Mora's withdrawal costing the team offensive quality and the substitutions of Pisilli and Lulli failing to pay off. It said the recurring problem was that Roma fell apart as soon as they conceded, losing their identity and confidence once their opponents gained courage. The report concluded that Gasperini would have much to reflect on after a defeat that left a bitter taste.

Roma led Manchester United 2-0 at Old Trafford before losing 3-2, as Bruno Fernandes' penalty and a Matheus Cunha double turned the match around. Roma came into the Champions League fixture missing Gollini, so Devis Vásquez started in goal, with Mancini, Balerdi and Hermoso at the back and Rensch and Wesley on the flanks. Cristante and De Roon formed the central pair, with Mora, Soulé and Malen as the front three. Roma dominated the first half. Mora played the ball through for Soulé, who controlled it in the box and beat Lammens at his near post. In the 16th minute Heaven blocked a shot from the same Argentine with his arm, and the referee pointed to the spot. Malen sent the keeper the wrong way to make it 2-0. Rensch then pulled up with a muscle problem and was replaced by Lulli. Malen and Soulé both came close to a third goal before the interval, and Roma went in ahead 2-0 after a near-perfect first half. The second half changed the match. In the 54th minute Gil Manzano awarded a highly disputed penalty for contact between Mancini and Cunha. Vásquez saved Bruno Fernandes' effort, but the spot-kick was ordered retaken for a early entry into the area, and the Portuguese scored at the second attempt to make it 1-2. The penalty decision has provoked controversy. Mbeumo then hit both posts in the same United move, and Roma dropped deeper. Gasperini made changes, bringing on Ghilardi, N'Dicka and Castro, but United struck late. In the 82nd minute Cunha took advantage of an error by Balerdi to equalise, and shortly afterwards he exploited another defensive lapse to complete the comeback at 3-2. The defeat leaves Roma on four points and drops them to 19th in the table. Having dominated for 45 minutes and come close to a famous result, the club leave Old Trafford still searching for a first win there.

Roma had the better of the first half at Old Trafford and went into the interval with a two-goal lead, but they threw away the advantage in a chaotic second period against Manchester United. The Italian report says the Giallorossi dominated possession from the first minute, with Cristante and his team-mates controlling the game, and that in the first half the frustration of not scoring four was greater than the satisfaction of the two-goal lead. Mora played almost as a deep-lying inside midfielder, while Malen enjoyed a creative role, sacrificing a little of his finishing in front of goal. The match did not stay in Roma's favour. Bruno Fernandes and his team-mates spent far too long in the Roma half. Vásquez had made a more than worthy save when United took their first penalty, but the spot-kick was later retaken and the outcome was embarrassing for the visitors. The reporter argues that Roma's first-half advantage should have carried them to a win, following the usual rotations Gasperini made along the defensive line. Instead, the unthinkable happened, mainly through the mistakes of Balerdi and then Vásquez, with referee Manzano also to blame, as Maguire was allowed to stay on the pitch. The article's closing verdict is blunt: the stadium is cursed, the referee did not convince, but this Roma side has committed suicide, because there is no other explanation. Cristante, Mora, Malen, Balerdi and Vásquez are the names the report repeatedly singles out, and the piece makes clear that the defensive rotations under Gasperini were central to the collapse.

Bryan Cristante has said Roma must review and understand where they need to improve after their 3-2 defeat at Manchester United. Speaking in the mixed zone, the Giallorossi midfielder called the loss a disappointment. Cristante said: "We need to review and understand where we must improve." He also addressed the penalty that helped Manchester United, saying: "The penalty has recharged them, but the contact was light. The defeat is a shame."

Bryan Cristante has said Roma must work out where they are going wrong after conceding another second-half comeback, this time in a 2-1 defeat...

Bryan Cristante has said Roma must work to stop making the same mistakes, admitting the squad lacks the habit of managing a game after a comeback defeat at Manchester United in the fourth round of Serie A. Roma were 2-0 up at one stage before losing, and Cristante acknowledged the pattern of late collapses is becoming a concern. Cristante said the team started well and produced a very strong first half that could have ended with more than a 2-0 lead. He accepted that Manchester United are a strong side who become difficult to contain once they find their moment, but added that Roma needed to do more, especially as they had already been through the same situation. He also said the penalty award looked very doubtful to him, while stressing that the club must review the match closely and understand where they go wrong, because the comebacks are starting to pile up. Asked whether the team lacks the habit of managing a game, Cristante said that may be the case and that everyone behind the ball must be more focused. "Even today we were 2-0 up, sometimes you can drop back but without conceding too much," he said. On whether the defeat could be part of a growth process, he said: "We must take the positive things. We played a very good first half against a strong team in a stadium like that, even though they are not at their best moment. We must learn, we know this is a point where we must improve. We will work on it and try to understand where we are making mistakes." Asked whether the United pressure in the second half had surprised Roma, Cristante said: "Maybe we also dropped back a little, thinking we could hold the result. It is a combination of factors. In the second half we managed to keep the ball very little, we did not shoot much and we could not breathe with the ball."