Parma – AS Roma: Dreams Dwindle Before An Incredible Roman Revival (2-3)

Last-minute VAR fiascos are not just exclusive to crucial Premier League fixtures. Dreams of the Champions League looked dead when Parma went into the lead with three minutes left, only for an incredible stoppage time to catapult Roma back into the conversation.

Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker.

The oldest coach in Serie A faced off with the youngest, and plenty still to play for in the European spots.

Parma has avoided relegation and is set for a third consecutive year in Serie A: an impressive feat after some big sales last summer, losing Giovanni Leoni and Ange-Yoan Bonny, as well as the long-term injury to Bonny’s replacement, Matija Frigan, who has missed the season with a cruciate ligament injury. A young squad with a young manager, Carlos Cuesta has done a solid job in areas you would expect from one of Mikel Arteta’s former coaches. In the defense, the medium-to-low block has made them difficult to break down throughout the season, even when the underlying numbers paint a very different picture (twenty goals better off).

Amid off-the-pitch drama, Roma have completely reenergized their ambitions of Champions League football. Donyell Malen has played a major factor, giving them different avenues in the attack, but the wide work that Gasperini teams are encouraged to perform has started to see a return in the goals. Having started the weekend a point from Juve (who won 2-0 away to Lecce to take that to four) and three points from AC Milan, Roma keeping to winning standards could capitalize if either of these teams slips up.

Three . . .