[Gomesh]

Serie A Preview: Ascoli-RomaAscoli (20th Serie A, 15 points) vs Roma (2nd Serie A, 53 points)
When: Saturday, 3rd March, kick-off 1500 local (CET)
Where: Del Duca Stadium, Ascoli

Looking for an away win Roma haven’t won an away game since their 2-1 victory in Turin last December 20th. They’re quite sceptical about the possibility to win the title, even though Inter have just dropped a couple of points, but they need to win just to keep Palermo at bay.

It will not be that easy, as most of the team is already focused on the Lyon game.

Spalletti has to find the way to motivate the team. Curiously enough after De Rossi, a key player for the Giallorossi midfield, had admitted he was tired, he twisted his ankle and could be out of the Ascoli clash.

Ascoli want to show their pride

The Bianconeri are in deep trouble, and frankly it looks quite difficult they could play Serie A football next season. As they haven’t got anything to lose in a match against a top flight team like Roma, they might try to get a result.

Unfortunately Sonetti has to come to terms with a plethora of injuries. The veteran coach just hopes young guns like Paolucci and Boudianski can show their talent and give Ascoli supporters a rare glimpse of joy.


FORM GUIDE

Ascoli

Ascoli - Parma 0 - 0 28/02/2007 SERIE A
Livorno - Ascoli 0 - 0 25/02/2007 SERIE A
Ascoli - Udinese 2 - 2 18/02/2007 SERIE A
Sampdoria - Ascoli 2 - 0 11/02/2007 SERIE A
Messina - Ascoli 1 - 2 28/01/2007 SERIE A
Ascoli - Atalanta 1 - 3 21/01/2007 SERIE A

Roma

Chievo - Roma 2 - 2 28/02/2007 SERIE A
Roma - Reggina 3 - 0 25/02/2007 SERIE A
Roma - Lyon 0 - 0 21/02/2007 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Empoli - Roma 1 - 0 17/02/2007 SERIE A
Roma - Parma 3 - 0 11/02/2007 SERIE A
Roma - Siena 1 - 0 28/01/2007 SERIE A

TEAM NEWS

Ascoli

Several players are out due to injuries: Di Biagio, Bjelanovic, Fontana, Del Vecchio and Lombardo. Former Roma player Bonanni got a red card in the Parma game so will not be available against giallorossi. Zanetti is suspended as well. Pagliuca should sit on the bench, as Eleftheropoulos is very likely to play again.

Probable Formation: Eleftheropoulos, Corallo, Melara, Nastase, Fini, Foglio, Boudianski, Pesce, Guberti, Paolucci, Soncin.


Roma

Perrotta is suspended and Martinez and Aquilani are still out. Panucci should be back to replace Cassetti, who didn’t impress too much in the Chievo game. De Rossi is a major doubt for Spalletti, while Mancini should start from the bench. Doni has got the flu, so Curci is very likely to play.

Probable Formation: Curci, Panucci, Mexes, Chivu, Tonetto, Wilhelmsson, Faty (De Rossi), Pizarro, Tavano, Taddei, Totti.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Eleftheropoulos (Ascoli)

He was Ascoli’s best player in the game against Parma. He’s enjoying his moment of glory as Pagliuca is temporarily unavailable and he will quite happy to face his former club Roma as with giallorossi he hardly played a single game.

Totti (Roma)

He was said to be on a nervous breakdown after he missed the sixth penalty of the season in the Reggina game. But in Verona he showed the reason why he’s currently the best Italian player around: he bagged a couple of goals just to silence his critics and to help Roma avoiding an embarrassing defeat. No doubt he will try to increase the margin as top-scorer in a supposedly easy game like Ascoli-Roma.

PREDICTION

Roma cannot afford to some more points, as they want to secure second place as soon as possible. Last year they lost to Ascoli 3-2, but at that time the Bianconeri had a stronger team. This time the home side would be quite content with a draw.

Ascoli 0-2 Roma