⚽ Roma Overcome Milan in Thrilling Encounter
On a decisive Sunday at the Stadio Olimpico, AS Roma defeated AC Milan 3-1 in Matchday 37 of Serie A TIM, keeping their hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League alive. The Giallorossi, led by C. Ranieri, showed character and efficiency against a Milan side that played most of the match a man down following Santiago Giménez’s red card.
Image by: zerozero.pt
The match was filled with turning points: an early goal from Gianluca Mancini, a controversial red card for Giménez, an equalizer by João Félix before halftime, and the winning goals scored by Leandro Paredes and Bryan Cristante. With this result, Roma reached 66 points, just one behind fourth-placed Lazio, while Milan stalled at 60 points and is now virtually out of the Champions League race.
🔴 First Half: Roma Take the Lead, but Milan Fight Back with 10 Men
🔹 Tactical Setup and Expectations
Roma (3-5-2): Ranieri maintained a three-man backline with Mancini, Celik, and Ndicka. Paredes and Cristante anchored the midfield, with Soulé and Manou Koné on the flanks.
Milan (3-4-2-1): Sérgio Conceição opted for a similar formation, maintained a three-man backline, in attack with gimenez in the center with Pulisic and João Felix on the flanks.
⚡ Key Moments
⚽ Roma Goal! (3′) – Gianluca Mancini
What happened: Right at the start, Matías Soulé played a short corner, crossed to the far post, and Mancini, completely unmarked, headed powerfully into Mike Maignan’s bottom right corner. A perfect start for the Giallorossi.
Analysis: Shocking defensive lapse from Milan, leaving Roma’s captain wide open.
🟥 Red Card – Santiago Giménez (21′)
Incident: After an aerial duel, Giménez elbowed Mancini in the face. Initially no foul was called, but after a VAR review, the Mexican striker was sent off for violent conduct.
Impact: Milan had to play with 10 men for over 70 minutes, severely compromising their offensive strategy.
⚽ Milan Goal! (39′) – João Félix
What happened: In a quick move, Alex Jiménez broke into the box and fired a low shot. Mile Svilar made the save, but the rebound fell to João Félix, who slotted it home.
Reaction: Despite being down a man, Milan showed resilience and managed to equalize before the break.
🔵 Second Half: Roma Regain the Lead and Seal the Win
🔹 Tactical Changes
Milan: Conceição brought on Rafael Leão and Luka Jović to try to hit on the counterattack.
Roma: Focused on ball control and wearing down the tired Milan side.
⚡ Key Moments
⚽ Roma Goal! (58′) – Leandro Paredes
What happened: After a foul at the edge of the box, Paredes surprised Maignan with a low shot into the left corner. The Milan goalkeeper stood no chance.
Analysis: A perfect free-kick from the Argentine in a decisive moment.
❗ Nearly an Equalizer! (80′) – Rafael Leão
Incident: In one of Milan’s few clear chances in the second half, Leão cut inside from the left and struck a powerful shot. Svilar made a brilliant save to deny him.
⚽ Roma Goal! (87′) – Bryan Cristante
What happened: After a solo run by Angeliño, the ball deflected to Cristante, who fired from outside the box, leaving Maignan no chance.
Conclusion: The midfielder sealed the win with a screamer, securing all three points for Roma.
🟥 Sérgio Conceição Sent Off (90+3′)
Reason: The Milan coach was shown a red card for excessive protests after a foul wasn’t given.
Roma: If they beat Torino in the final round and Lazio lose, they could secure a Champions League spot.
Milan: All but eliminated from the race for Europe’s elite competitions.
🧠 How Roma Beat Milan
🔴 Roma (3-5-2) – Strengths
✅ Possession Control (54%): Dominated midfield with Paredes and Cristante
✅ Set-Piece Efficiency: Two goals came from dead-ball situations
✅ Defensive Solidity: Svilar made key saves, and the back three neutralized Leão
🔵 Milan (3-4-2-1) – Weaknesses
❌ Lack of Creativity: Without Giménez, the team relied too heavily on João Félix
❌ Defensive Errors: Costly mistakes, especially on the opening goal
❌ Discipline Issues: Red cards to Giménez and coach Conceição derailed their comeback
⭐ Man of the Match: Leandro Paredes (Roma)
- 1 goal
- 3 interceptions
- 92% pass accuracy
Rating: 7.7 – Commanded midfield and scored a crucial free-kick.
🔍 Fun Facts and Historical Notes
- Last 5 Head-to-Head Matches: 3 Roma wins, 1 Milan win, 1 draw
- João Félix: Scored his first Serie A goal for Milan
- Claudio Ranieri: Final home match as Roma’s manager before retirement
🗓️ Next Matches
AS Roma: vs Torino (May 25) – Final round, all or nothing for a UCL spot
AC Milan: vs AC Monza (May 25) – Little at stake for the Rossoneri
🎯 Conclusion: Roma Rise, Milan Collapse
AS Roma took a big step toward the Champions League with a solid and efficient performance, while AC Milan suffered yet another blow in an underwhelming season. The Giallorossi remain firmly in the race to return to Europe’s elite.
What did you think of the match? Leave your comments below!
Photos: flashcore.pt and footballitalia.net
