Preview: Roma to make it 10 out of 10 with a win over Chievo
Rudi Garcia’s men are poised to continue their hot streak in the league when they face Chievo, a side which is currently rock bottom in the league table. La Maggica extended their win streak to nine matches when they defeated Udinese 1-0 despite being a man down after defender Maicon was shown his marching orders at the hour mark. However Michael Bradley’s late strike guaranteed Roma of maximum points from the game.
Despite of a terrific run which has seen Roma defy all odds, manager Rudi Garcia has decided to keep his feet on the ground and has claimed that only a trophy at the end of the season will call for celebrations.
“It is great to have won nine straight games but what I would like is for people to remember us at the end of the season, perhaps with a trophy in our hands,'' Garcia said.
On paper Roma are definitely a much stronger side both offensively and defensively. Only Inter Milan have more goals in the league than Roma, the yellow-reds also boast the meanest defence in Europe’s top five leagues having conceded just a single goal in the nine matches they have played so far.
But Roma’s French tactician Rudi Garcia, has warned his troops to not lose focus and to take their next match against Chievo seriously in order to avoid an upset.
"We have to focus on Thursday's game,” said the Frenchman
"Everyone, even at (Roma's training ground) Trigoria think that the game against Chievo has already been won."
"However, this game is going to be the most complicated one since the start of the season.''
Chievo on the other hand have had a disastrous campaign to say the least. Giuseppe Sannino’s men who finished 12th in the league last season are now at the foot of the table having managed just a single win so far. The defeat at the hands of Fiorentina in their last outing was their seventh of the season and only a miracle can help the flying donkeys to avoid a defeat in their next match.
The Romans will be without their talismanic captain Francesco Totti who suffered a hamstring injury in the match against Napoli and will miss the tie against Chievo. Ivory Coast international Gervinho who has impressed since making his summer move from Arsenal to Roma will also remain on the sidelines whereas Maicon will serve a one match ban as a result of his red card against Udinese.
Where to watch the match – live stream, start time, TV channels, Live scores
Watch AS Roma vs Chievo live on Thursday, October 31, 2013:
In Canada at 15:45 on beIN Sport Play Canada
In USA at 15:45 ET beIN Sport Play, SiriusXM FC, beIN Sport USA
Fans based in Italy can watch the match live on Premium Calcio.
For complete details of match listings and live scores, visit the AS Roma vs Chievo match page.
