the head is at Leicester, Mourinho takes back Lazio
ROME – Leicester effect. In front of 63,000 spectators, with an inevitable turnover in view of next Thursday’s return semi-final, Roma does not go beyond 0-0 against Bologna which still holds fifth place in the standings against Lazio (with equal points, it weighs goal difference in head to head matches). On the evening of Mourinho’s 50 yellow and red benches, the Giallorossi try until the end, also thanks to the entry in the last half hour of Karsdorp, Zalewski, Pellegrini and Abraham, but do not find the right starting point to overcome an excellent Skorupski.
Roma asks for the penalty twice
Compared to the formation that drew in Leicester, Mourinho changes even six: in Kumbulla in defense, Maitland Niles, Veretout and El Shaarawy in midfield, Carles Perez and Felix forward. On the other hand, Tanjga relies on Arnautovic and Orsolini in attack, with Schouten, Dominguez and Soriano in the middle of the field. Roma got off to a good start and in the first quarter of an hour asked for a penalty kick twice for two dubious interventions. First a touch of Medel’s arm, then a contact that brings down Maitland Niles: neither Fabbri, nor the Var intervene amid the protests of the players and Mourinho. Initially intimidated, with the passing of the minutes Bologna begins to fuel up and twice scares the Giallorossi with Arnautovic. At 17 ‘Rui Patricio saves everything on the way out, 5’ later the attacker wastes with a weak right foot from an excellent position.
Carles Perez and Zaniolo try
Roma breathe, wait and turn on again in the second half of the first half. At 24 ‘Carles Perez tries it from the outside, with Skorupski unlocking on the ground. Shortly after, on an assist from Maitland Niles, Zaniolo came close to scoring with a left-footed shot that the rossoblù goalkeeper rejected. Roma continued to push and at 38 ‘still dangerous Carles Perez made it with a left from outside the area that Skorupski saved with difficulty. Mourinho paws on the bench and on 13 ‘of the revolutionary recovery the team: inside Karsdorp, Zalewski, Pellegrini and Abraham instead of Maitland Niles, El Shaarawy, Carles Perez and Felix. Tanjga responds by inserting Barrow and De Silvestri. The entry of the holders a new push to Roma, which in the 20 ‘goes close to scoring with a header from Kumbulla that Skorupski is very good at instinctively rejecting. Shomurodov also enters for Veretout. In the end, Abraham and Pellegrini try, but it’s not the evening.
ROME-BOLOGNA, TABLE AND STATISTICS