Roma seals Europa League semifinal spot with gritty win over Milan, showcasing their depth beyond aesthetics. Milan learns a hard lesson from their defeat, echoing their past experience against Napoli. Here are three key takeaways from the thrilling clash at Stadio Olimpico.
Roma possesses more than just aesthetic appeal.
Daniele De Rossi’s appointment has ushered in a new mindset and tactical approach in Rome. The Giallorossi now prioritize attacking play, favoring a possession-based game over long passes as seen during José Mourinho’s tenure, resulting in an overall improvement in their style of play.
However, the match against Milan showcased that Roma hasn’t neglected their defensive capabilities. De Rossi’s strategy was straightforward yet effective: Stephan El Shaarawy operated as a right midfielder, Chris Smalling resumed his role in central defense, and Roma adopted a deep defensive stance from the outset, capitalizing on counter-attacks to hurt Milan. With Zeki Celik’s early dismissal, Roma adopted an even more defensive approach, conceding only in the dying minutes of the game.
Milan has encountered this situation before.
When Milan was drawn against Roma in the Europa League quarter-finals, many believed the Rossoneri were the favorites. Milan had won the previous two Serie A encounters and held a 14-point lead over Roma in the Serie A standings. However, Milan not only exited the competition but also deservedly so. Just a year ago, Stefano Pioli’s side similarly stunned Napoli in the Champions League quarter-finals. Despite Napoli’s dominance in Serie A, Milan surprised them across the two legs, earning a place in the semi-finals against city rivals Inter. This time, Milan faced the same outcome they had inflicted on Napoli the previous season.
Roma’s caliber and structural setup
As Pioli remarked after the game, Roma exhibited greater quality than Milan over the course of the two matches. “We were certainly lacking in quality. While we may not have created clear-cut chances, there were situations in the box that we should have capitalized on,” stated the Italian coach. “We should have taken advantage of their numerical disadvantage, but we lacked the quality and determination to reverse the outcome after falling 2-0 behind.”
The Giallorossi outshone Milan in the midfield area and appeared much more organized than their Serie A counterparts. Lorenzo Pellegrini, Edoardo Bove, and Leandro Paredes dominated the midfield battles, and in the first half, they demonstrated the quality and vision needed to initiate counter-attacks and assist their teammates in troubling Milan in the attacking third. This potential was not widely recognized during Mourinho’s tenure at Roma.