Team News
Roma boss Luis Enrique will be forced to make a couple of changes from the side that drew 1-1 with Catania midweek, with Federico Viviani coming in for the suspended Daniele De Rossi and Gabriel Heinze in for Simon Kjaer. While Enrique will also be unable to count with the Argentine trio of Pablo Osvaldo, Nicolas Burdisso and Fernando Gago, who are all sidelined due to injury.
Meanwhile, Giuseppe Sannino, the coach of Siena, will be delighted by the fact that he will be able to field an identical side as to the one which held Juventus to a goalless draw in their last league game.
Form
Siena come into the clash unbeaten in their last four home games in all competitions, including their crucial 2-1 victory over Napoli in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-finals last Thursday. The Tuscans have picked up their game enormously in the last few weeks and could cause Roma a number of problems.
The Romans have been rather inconsistent in recent games, as while sometimes they look unstoppable, as was the case when they thumped Inter Milan 4-0, they have also shown their fragile side, like when they recently were on the wrong end of a 4-2 defeat to Cagliari. In their last Serie A game Enrique’s side could only afford a 1-1 draw with Catania.
Head-to-head
Roma have a favourable history over their opponents, after having claimed nine wins from 15 meetings between the sides. But the last time the teams met in late December they fought out a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. However, prior to that result Roma had obtained three consecutive victories in Serie A games, with Siena’s last triumph coming in 2008.
Prediction
The clash is expected to be fought out right until the death, as while Siena will do their utmost to ease their relegation concerns, Roma will be aiming for a victory that would move them closer towards the Champions League qualification zone. Roma appear the stronger team on paper, and if they manage to reach their full potential they should prevail.
The Verdict:
Siena 1-2 Roma
