Como and Roma began at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia with the match already carrying the weight of a wider Serie A story: a home side seeking to make its ground count, and Gian Piero Gasperini one victory away from a landmark no coach reaches by accident.
Gasperini arrived on 299 Serie A wins. A further success would make him the fifth manager in the competition’s history to reach 300, joining Giovanni Trapattoni on 352, Massimiliano Allegri on 324, Luciano Spalletti on 306 and Nereo Rocco on 302.
Quick facts
- Venue: Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, Como.
- Referee: Michael Fabbri of Ravenna, assisted by Imperiale and Baccini.
- Fourth official: Sozza; VAR: Gariglio; assistant VAR: Abisso.
- Gasperini started the day on 299 Serie A victories.
- Como and Roma had not drawn any of their previous 10 Serie A meetings.
The opening was played at a sharp tempo. Maxence Caqueret released Assane Diao into the area, but Roma’s defence dealt with the forward’s attempted delivery before it could trouble Pierluigi Gollini.
Roma soon found space of their own. Lorenzo Pellegrini escaped down the flank and pulled the ball back towards Manu Koné, whose effort from the edge of the box failed to find the target.
Koné then supplied Pellegrini on the edge of the area, where the Roma captain struck a controlled right-footed shot that beat the goalkeeper’s reach but came back off the post.
Como had a fine chance through Nico Paz, who entered the penalty area and tried to lift the ball over Gollini. The Roma goalkeeper read the attempt well, coming out quickly to block the Argentine’s chipped finish.
Donyell Malen created another opening in the Como box before the loose ball reached Paulo Dybala. From close range, however, the Argentine could not turn the chance into Roma’s opening goal.
The listed selections
Roma were set out in a 3-4-2-1 with Gollini behind Gianluca Mancini, Evan Ndicka and Mario Hermoso. Nahuel Molina, Marten de Roon, Koné and Wesley formed the midfield line, with Pellegrini and Dybala supporting Malen.
Como’s listed 4-2-3-1 featured Jean Butez in goal; Yan Couto, Ramon, Trevoh Chalobah and Kaiki in defence; Máximo Perrone and Lucas Da Cunha in midfield; Diao, Nico Paz and Caqueret behind Tasos Douvikas.
A further team listing named Roma with Dybala and Mora behind Malen, while Como’s alternative selection included Álex Valle, Milla and Martin Baturina in place of Kaiki, Perrone and Caqueret.
The recent league record between these clubs offered little room for stalemate. Roma had won seven of the last 10 Serie A meetings, with Como taking the other three. Their last draw in the competition was a goalless match on 18 January 1987, when Emiliano Mondonico led Como and Sven-Göran Eriksson was in charge of Roma.
The fixture was scheduled for live broadcast in Italy on DAZN.
