Opinion

Can Roma qualify for the next season’s Champions League?

FLORENCE, ITALY - JANUARY 07: Pietro Terracciano goalkeeper of ACF Fiorentina reacts during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and US Sassuolo at Stadio Artemio Franchi on January 7, 2023 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)
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Roma’s Champions League aspirations: a closer look at their current position and chances of qualification

Roma entered a new era last season by appointing Jose Mourinho as the head coach who immediately showed why he is considered as “The Special One”. Mourinho led the Giallorossi to the UEFA Europa Conference League title in the inaugural season of that competition. That is Roma’s biggest achievement in European competitions thus far and just the second trophy after the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1961.

This season, Roma is playing in the Europa League and has successfully made it through the group stage in the 2nd place behind Real Betis and reaching the knockout stage. There they will meet Red Bull Salzburg over a two-legged match. While the UEL is an important competition for Mourinho’s squad, the main focus will surely be on Serie A and a top-four finish that guarantees Champions League football next year.

It’s so far so good for Roma, who currently sit 4th in Serie A with 37 points midway through the championship. Although they’re 13 points behind league leaders Napoli, only three points separates 2nd place Milan with 6th place Atalanta—meaning the race for Champions League football is wide open.

Jose Mourinho’s men are in a strong position to finish among the top four clubs after the latest decision from the Italian courts to deduct 15 points from Juventus for corrupt accounting practices by inflating transfer values.

As a result, the Bianconeri dropped from 3rd to 10th in table and have a lot of ground to make up for if they want to join Milan, Lazio, Inter, Roma, and Atalanta in the race for top four.

Jose Mourinho brought a new belief among the fans, who are fully backing him to bring future success to the club. The ‘Special One’ did great business last summer as he earned more than €40 million net in transfers.

This January, he already brought winger Ola Solbakken from the Norwegian outfit Bodø/Glimt after his deal with the club expires. Though, Mourinho could be left without the services of Nicolo Zaniolo after the 23 year-old handed in a transfer request last week.

Still, the club did a great job in bringing Paulo Dybala last summer for free from Juventus. The Argentinian is the top scorer with ten goals in all competitions, while Tammy Abraham and Lorenzo Pellegrini are also key players for I Giallorossi.

Following a hot and cold form earlier in the season, Roma is now unbeaten in six straight Serie A fixtures. They kept a clean sheet in three of the previous four games and have the third-best defence in the league with 16 goals conceded in 19 matches.

There is still a long way to go as we reached the mid-season, but it looks like Roma has what it takes to finish in the top four and secure the Champions League football next season. They haven’t participated in that competition since 2018/19, and now Mourinho can be the one to bring them back to the UCL.

They’ll face perhaps their biggest test of the season this weekend when they face league leaders Napoli at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Following Sunday’s affair, the Giallorossi have a favorable run of league fixtures that includes Empoli, Lecce, Verona, and Cremonese.

Mourinho will be hoping for at least ten points out of those four matches. If they manage to do that, Roma will be in a good position to reach the UCL. If you want to bet online on Serie A, check the odds prepared by Vulkan bet on football matches.

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