Serie A' MD22: A.S Roma - Reggina [09-02-08]

[dukeofdavinci]

Serie A Week 22 - 9/2/08 (19.30 UK)
Roma - Reggina

Stadio Olimpico

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Roma and Reggina may be at opposite ends of the table, but both sides will be eager to pick up all three points at the Stadio Olimpico after some disappointing recent results.

The relegation-threatened Amaranto will take heart from the way Siena brushed their opponents aside last week in their shock 3-0 win. It may prove to be a much tougher test against the Giallorossi in Rome, but if they can repeat their relegation rivals’ performance then they could cause another upset.

Wins over Catania and Cagliari had seen Reggina’s confidence start to rise, but last week’s defeat to Torino hit the Calabrians hard. The Amaranto know that they can’t afford too many more defeats if they are to keep pace with the rest of the relegation battle, but with this match followed by consecutive games against Udinese, Juventus, Lazio, Palermo and Inter they can’t afford a demoralising start to that nightmare run.

Reggina Coach Renzo Ulivieri will have most of his key players fit and ready ahead of this match, although the Calabrian fans will have to wait a little longer to see new signing Stephen Makinwa make his debut as the Nigerian is still away on African Cup of Nations duty. Elsewhere, Portuguese full-back Miguel Garcia and Brazilian striker Inacio Joelson are both injured, while defender Maurizio Lanzaro has avoided suspension and is set to start with new boy Bruno Cirillo dropping to the bench.

Roma boss Luciano Spalletti will again be without central defender Juan, so Matteo Ferrari should continue to partner Philippe Mexes at the back. The capital club’s only other absentee is reserve goalkeeper Gianluca Curci, although they are expected to make changes. Simone Perrotta could be the one to make way as Ludovic Giuly is drafted into the starting line-up to support Francesco Totti.

However, the Giallorossi will have to perform much better than they did in Tuscany last week. That defeat was a particularly big blow as it came when they seemed to be on such good form. They had won four games in a row and that was just their second loss of the season, with the other coming at the hands of Inter way back in September. Spalletti’s biggest task will be rallying his troops and ensuring they don’t repeat the display of complacency they provided in Siena.

Keep an eye on: Nicola Amoruso (Reggina) – The veteran striker, and the Amaranto’s record scorer in Serie A, has stayed on the goals trail again despite struggling to hold down a first team spot. With Stephen Makinwa’s arrival imminent he will be eager to impress when given a chance from the start.

Last season: Roma 3-0 Reggina

Form guide: Roma (W W W W L) Reggina (W D W D L)


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Roma (probable): Doni; Panucci, Ferrari, Mexes, Tonetto; De Rossi, Pizarro; Taddei, Giuly, Mancini; Totti

Reggina (probable): Campagnolo; Cirillo, Valdez, Aronica, Modesto; Barreto, Tognozzi, Hallfredsson; Vigiani, Brienza; Amoruso

Ref: To follow...

time to put the disappointments of last week behind us and bounce back.another lower end team, god this makes me even worried comparing to facing a top team.

we need a strong showing starting from this game onwards as we have cl around the corner plus coppa semis.

hope to see a better side of roma instead the one i saw against siena.

[D-Kin]

Andrea awaits Rome return Thursday 7 February, 2008

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Reggina goalkeeper Andrea Campagnolo is preparing to visit his old stomping ground as the Amaranto face Roma at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

The 29-year-old developed in Cittadella’s youth side before moving to Roma in 1997, but he was unable to win a place in the first-team.

Now Campagnolo is the undisputed No 1 at Reggina and looking forward to a busy evening in the Eternal City between the posts for the relegation threatened minnows.

“It’s always very emotional when I return to the Stadio Olimpico as there is a truly magical atmosphere,” Campagnolo stressed.

“I wore the Roma shirt for three years and it was a crucial experience in my career. I owe any improvement I have made in part to my training at Trigoria.”

Roma were humbled by Siena last weekend and will determined to reassert themselves against a Reggina team who were beaten 3-1 by Torino last weekend.

“Roma are a very strong side at the highest level internationally and it’s no coincidence that they have many world champions and foreign stars that a number of other clubs want,” Campagnolo insisted.

“But we are coming in to this game after a heavy defeat and we want to bounce straight back.”

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Spalletti admits striking shortage Friday 8 February, 2008

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Roma Coach Luciano Spalletti expects a tough test against Reggina after last week’s defeat in Siena and admits the Giallorossi lack striking options.

The second-placed side were stunned 3-0 by lowly Siena last weekend, which could prove to be a costly defeat in the Scudetto race.

Spalletti knows that another slip-up against relegation battlers Reggina at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday evening would surely end any title hopes, but he insists he has done all he can to prevent that happening.

“Was the criticism exaggerated for last week’s performance? I don’t know and it’s not a judgement that I have to make,” the Tuscan tactician said.

“I have to focus my attention in what we can do to improve and make sure that we don’t suffer another defeat like that.

“I have found the problem and it is that you can’t always win. Every so often a defeat will happen

“When you are chasing Inter you aren’t allowed to slip up, but we can’t afford to take our eyes off our own campaign.”

There is a feeling in the peninsula that the Giallorossi have been hampered by a lack of strikers and there has been some criticism of the capital club’s failure to sign one in the January transfer window.

“If you evaluate our squad you could say that we are lacking a certain kind of striker,” Spalletti admitted.

“If we’d had a good chance we would have signed one immediately, but the way we play means we don’t need a striker that much, so we didn’t try too hard to find one.

“If you want to improve this attack you would have to sign a very, very good player because we have lads who can play that role even if Mirko Vucinic and Francesco Totti are out.

“But there’s no point talking about that because these lads can have a successful season.”

Spalletti certainly isn’t going to underestimate the opposition who arrive locked in a relegation dogfight.

“I’m expecting a very tough game because the sides in the relegation battle are showing something extra at the moment,” he claimed.

“Reggina have a top Coach and this is a dangerous game if we don’t approach it with the right attitude.”

Roma must wait to see whether captain Francesco Totti passes a late fitness test to start tomorrow evening.

channel4.com - Football Italia

[D-Kin]

Foti: Roma are the best Saturday 9 February, 2008

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Reggina President Lillo Foti insists this evening they’ll face the best team in Serie A – Roma.

Despite falling eight points adrift of leaders Inter following their 3-0 defeat at Siena last week, Foti still believes the Giallorossi deserve the highest praise.

“Roma are the team who play the best football in Serie A over the past two years and it is no coincidence they have been the only real title contenders,” the patron told Radio Incontro.

“This is certainly among the most difficult games of the season, not least because the Giallorossi are fired up after a negative result last weekend.”

The two clubs are on friendly terms and it has been well documented that midfielder Francesco Modesto will switch to the Olimpico in the summer.

“He is a player of quality and it pleases me to know Luciano Spalletti and all his staff noticed that, but today he has just one thought in his mind – to keep Reggina in Serie A.”

Reggina has become a fertile hothouse for young talents before they step up to the big time, most recently Rolando Bianchi.

“Rolando deserved to earn his place on the main stage,” added Foti.

Manchester City bought Bianchi for over £8m last summer, but handed him over to Lazio during the January transfer window.

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[Jager]

Its 1-0, on a Panucci header, and Roma have run Reggina ragged, with the first half almost over.

Hoping the second half is better, as Reggina should be down by more than one.

[D-Kin]

It finished 2-0 to Roma.

Mancini got the second.

[D-Kin]

Serie A Week 22 - 9/2/08 (19.30 UK)
Roma 2 - 0 Reggina
Panucci 21 (Ro), Mancini 76 (Ro)
Stadio Olimpico

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Roma were less than commanding, but managed to beat Reggina 2-0 with goals from Christian Panucci and Amantino Mancini.

Luciano Spalletti had to get his men back on track after the shock 3-0 thrashing at Siena that left them eight points adrift of Inter. Reggina's confidence was also hit by defeat to Torino after wins over Catania and Cagliari had pushed them away from the drop zone.

This fixture had never ended in a draw with five home wins and two Amaranto triumphs, most recently 2-1 in April 2005. The first chance fell to Reggina, Edgar Barreto's shot charged down by Christian Panucci in the box.

Roma fought back and former Giallorossi man Andrea Campagnolo flew to palm an Amantino Mancini strike out of the top corner of the net. A Francesco Totti header flashed Cicinho's cross just past the near post.

Panucci had been threatening with a couple of headers and finally got it on target after 21 minutes. The veteran defender was at the back post, practically on the byline, to nod Totti's cross over Campagnolo and into the far corner. It was an unusual finish, as it seemed to curl around the goalkeeper.

Alexander Doni smothered a Franco Brienza snapshot and Luca Vigiani looped over. Totti thought he'd scored one of the greatest goals of his career, but the overhead kick only hit the side-netting after Campagnolo flapped at a cross.

Totti went on a strong run and when he was closed down De Rossi's follow-up was deflected off target. The resulting corner was not dealt with an Totti didn't get enough contact to Alberto Aquilani's cross on a free header.

Aquilani risked scoring an own goal just before the break, as his scuffed clearance from a corner bounced inches past the near post.

Reggina introduced former Lazio striker Stephen Makinwa and immediately perked up, a long move eventually closed down by a diving Philippe Mexes intervention to stop Vigiani. Nicola Amoruso also came on for a trident attack and his glancing header on Francesco Modesto's cross was fingertipped round the far post.

Doni captured a fierce Maurizio Lanzaro strike and Ludovic Giuly created a chance for Aquilani. Mancini's thunderbolt whistled over the bar from 25 metres.

It was mainly Reggina in control now and Valdez nodded a powerful Barreto free kick past the near post. The Amaranto had equalised on 68 minutes with Barreto's rocket from distance, but the goal was correctly disallowed because it passed under Amoruso's foot and he was in a clear offside position.

However, Roma clung on under pressure and doubled their lead. Mancini finished it off, but Giuly deserves much of the credit, as his wonderful solo run dribbling past four players saw his left-foot strike parried into the path of the Brazilian.

Less than 60 seconds later Reggina shook the frame of the goal as Makinwa sprinted past Mexes and smacked a rising shot against the bar.

Mancini set up a great chance for Aquilani, but it was charged down, then another effort from the Italian dipped just over the bar.

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Roma: Doni; Cicinho, Panucci, Mexes, Cassetti; De Rossi, Aquilani; Taddei (Tonetto 65), Giuly (Perrotta 84), Mancini; Totti (Vucinic 75)

Reggina: Campagnolo; Lanzaro, Valdez, Aronica, Modesto; Missiroli, Barreto, Tognozzi (Cozza 77); Vigiani (Amoruso 53), Brienza; Ceravolo (Makinwa 46)

Ref: Banti

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[D-Kin]

Spalletti reassures anxious Roma Saturday 9 February, 2008

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Luciano Spalletti fears his Roma side lack confidence and Renzo Ulivieri berated his men for respecting their opponents too much.

The Giallorossi were under fire after their 3-0 demolition at Siena last week and struggled to a 2-0 win over Reggina this evening.

“Roma played a good game and deservedly won. There was a moment when the introduction of Stephen Makinwa and Nicola Amoruso pushed Reggina further up the field,” explained Spalletti.

“Admittedly we were hesitant there and this is something that should not happen. We have character and quality, we just need to be aware of where we stand in the table.”

It seems the Amaranto were all too aware of the differences between the teams, as in the first half they sat back far too much.

“We were sluggish, acting as if we had some sort of reverential fear of Roma,” snapped Coach Ulivieri.

“In the second 45 minutes we saw that when we play ball to feet, we can put any team under pressure.”

Makinwa made a stunning debut just days after joining from Lazio, as he only had one training session with his new teammates following African Cup of Nations duty with Nigeria.

“I couldn’t field Makinwa from the start, seeing as I only met the lad on Friday.”

channel4.com - Football Italia

[dukeofdavinci]

as the article pointed out, we were not at our best but hey its start that we are getting results that favor us.

the improvements that we showed in that game is important and we can build on from there.

well a tough away game is at hand next.

[sinoy1]

Guily solo effort was amazing and led to the goal.Thats the Guily I want to see.