UEFA Champions League Preview: AS Roma – Basel
Gilarossi putting their season back on track
AS Roma had one of its worst starts in recent years, the club was 19th in the league prior to their victory against CFC Genoa on the weekend. The club hasn’t looked very convincing in Europe either. Roma were thumped 2 – 0 by Bayern Munich at
Allianz Arena. The score line could have been far more humiliating had it not been for Julio Sergio. The Roman custodian produced a string of fantastic saves to deny Bavarian giants time and time again.
On match day two, Roma were a better side as they recorded a slender 2 – 1 victory against Cluj. However the performance was far from convincing. On a positive note, Lupi legend Francesco Totti is slowly rediscovering his form. Er Pupone is blessed with
divine ability and his knack for the extraordinary means the likes of Borriello will have constant supply of through balls.
RotBlau have a mountain to climb
The Swiss champions are expected to finish third in the group, thus earning a place in the Europa League. However, their start has been far from impressive as the club has recorded successive loses in the two matches played so far.
Basel lost their opening match to Cluj away from home. The Romanian giants inflicted a 2 – 1 defeat on their Swiss counterparts. On match day two, it was the same score line against as Bayern Munich left St. Jakob-Park with the three points. Another defeat
tonight will all but end Basel’s European adventure.
Coach Thorsten Fink is optimistic the team will deliver the goods against a troubled Roman outfit. There is little room for optimism however as Basel’s record in the peninsula is on the contrary. The club has not won in Italy in their four previous attempts.
Team News
AS Roma
Claudio Ranieri has a host of injuries to deal with. Daniele De Rossi’s absence is of particular importance. The midfield general keeps the Roman engine room running and his services will be severely missed. Mirko Vucinic, Julio Sergio and Jeremy Menez will
also sit out the match due to their respective injuries. David Pizarro is not 100% fit but will still feature.
Expected Formation
Ranieri will line up his troops in a 4-4-2 formation. Borriello and Totti will lead the charge while Matteo Brighi and David Pizzaro will look to dominate the centre of the park. Juan and Burdisso will play in the heart of the defence with Sergio’s deputy
Lobont keeping the gloves.
Probable line up
Bogdan Lobont, Riise, Nicolas Burdisso, Juan, Marco Cassetti, Matteo Brighi, David Pizarro, Simone Perrotta, Francesco Totti, Rodrigo Taddei, Marco Borriello
FC Basel
Basel will be without the services of Jacques Zoua for this match. The Cameroonian is out with a lengthy treatment schedule as the player had suffered a torn thigh muscle at International duty.
Expected Formation
Basel usually plays in a 4-4-1-1 formation. Marco Streller will play as the lone striker while Frei will play just behind him. Gilles Yapi Yapo and Benjamin Huggel will look to overshadow Pizarro and company in the middle of the park. Central defender pair
Çağdaş Atan and David Abraham will have the monstrous task of handling Borriello and Totti
Probable line up
Franco Costanzo, Samuel Inkoom, David Abraham, Çağdaş Atan, Behrang Safari, Xherdan Shaqiri, Yapo Gilles Yapi, Benjamin Huggel, Valentin Stocker, Marco Streller, Alexander Frei
Key Players
Francesco Totti
Er Pupone is slowly discovering his best form. The player can produce the goods with one of his trademark moments of genius. They Gilarossi number 10 will not only look to score but also set up Borriello with his array of tricks and flicks.
Alexander Frei
Frei is arguably the biggest start that Basel has. The Swiss captain has wealth of experience at the highest level thus the club will look up to him for leadership.
Prediction
Despite Roma’s patchy form, Basel will be hard pressed going for a result. Stadio Olimpico is not the idea away avenue and Roma will have no trouble dispatching a rather modest Basel outfit. Roma to win 3 – 0 at the final whistle.
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