Why Beating as Roma Will Ensure 4th Consecutive Serie A Title for Juventus

Statistically speaking, last season was among the finest AS Roma have ever enjoyed, the club setting new records for points (85), wins (26) and clean sheets (21). Despite those achievements—and starting the campaign with 10 straight victories—the Giallorossi still found themselves some distance behind eventual champions Juventus.

Indeed, thanks to their own breathtaking pace, the Turin giants would set a new Serie A mark by winning 102 points, 17 more than Rudi Garcia’s men, to comfortably lift their third consecutive title. Both sides strengthened their playing squads this summer, but the shock departure of Antonio Conte was seen as the opening Roma needed in order to truly compete with their northern rivals.

A controversial 3-2 win over the capital club put Juventus in the driving seat once again, but in the aftermath of that October meeting their coach appears to have inadvertently derailed their title push.

Garcia was sent to the stands during the game and blasted referee Gianluca Rocchi afterwards, complaining at his press conference that “the penalty boxes are 19 yards," at Juventus Stadium after a foul by Miralem Pjanic on Paul Pogba resulted in a spot-kick, per Goal.com.

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Captain Francesco Totti followed his coach’s lead when speaking to Sky Italia, refusing to accept they had been defeated fairly. “I don't know if we were beaten by referees, but we certainly were not beaten by Juventus tonight,” he said (h/t ESPN) before adding that the Bianconeri triumph “by hook or by crook.”

The complaints continued, with Garcia saying in December that “It's true Juventus are ahead by three points and we all know how," per Jacopo Lo Monaco of Reuters UK. Yet it is easy to forget that before they clashed two months earlier, the two sides were in fact neck-and-neck at the top of the table.

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Indeed, since beating Inter at the end of November, Roma have registered just three Serie A victories, adding eight draws to fall nine points behind the Bianconeri. That is an alarming slump, particularly after Garcia stated his belief that his team would win the Scudetto because “we are stronger than Juventus,” per Football Italia.

As the two protagonists meet again on Monday, Garcia must find a way to lift his team to victory if they are to have any hope of keeping his promise. A loss or draw would perhaps make the lead insurmountable for the Giallorossi, even as Juve continue their Champions League adventure.

Massimiliano Allegri’s men are likely to be buoyed by Tuesday’s win over Borussia Dortmund, putting on an excellent display in which they conceded possession and struck at pace on the break. A similar approach would serve them well at the Stadio Olimpico, as that would negate many of Roma’s strengths just as it did to the German outfit.

With the likes of Gervinho and Pjanic failing to match the excellent form they showed last term, it will clearly be a difficult task for the home side. Supporters are increasingly unhappy with the situation, with the banner above making their opinion of the situation abundantly clear.

Owner James Pallotta believes that is a minority opinion however, blaming the Roman press for the situation as he spoke to reporters at an event in Milan earlier this week, telling them (h/t Football Italia):

"

It’s only a problem for the media, it’s they who create it. The only ones who see a problem are them and a few fans, who maybe aren’t real fans either. Most other people don’t think that way.

I’ve met 30 [Roma fans] in Milan, and for them it’s ok, the team is trying and this is just a phase. We’re still second in the table. Every year the goal must be to win the Scudetto, I don’t see what the problem is, sometimes you win and sometimes you can’t.

Do you think that Rudi was a God last year, and is now the devil incarnate? I don’t think so, it’s just a period where we’ve had a few draws, we’ll get back to winning.

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Ideally for Pallotta and AS Roma, that would start on Monday night, because failure to beat the Bianconeri a second time would likely spell the end for their challenge. It could lead to further problems for Garcia before next season begins, and is almost certain to deliver yet another title to Turin and Juventus.