Opinion: Totti shows he's still got it

“It was so wonderful to hear the roar of the Olimpico,” a delighted Francesco Totti noted after AS Roma's 1-1 draw with Bologna on Monday.

Totti had every reason to be happy. His introduction at half-time completely changed the game for his side, who were trailing 1-0 at the interval.

His most tangible contribution came in the 50th minute, where he delivered a sublime, defence-splitting through ball for Mohamed Salah to score and draw the Giallorossi level.

The extent of the 39-year-old's contribution wasn't limited to just that moment of magic, however, for his movement, creativity and intelligence were all key factors in what was a quality 45 minutes of action for him.

From his central attacking position, Totti's purposeful movement ensured he constantly manipulated Bologna's defensive and midfield structure.

Even in situations when he didn't receive possession, his constant lateral and vertical shifts in position provided plenty of confusion amongst the opposition ranks, with Bologna defenders unsure who should pick him up.

Totti's variations were key here; he'd drop deep to link midfield and attack, push to either flank, or stay high on the shoulder of the last defender. Moreover, his subtle interchanges with left winger Salah and central midfielder Miralem Pjanic added a further layer of unpredictability for Roberto Donadoni's men to deal with.

Another notable facet of Totti's outing that nicely supplemented his ability to recognise space was his admirable work rate. There weren't too many instances where the legendary captain was standing idle, instead he was mostly seen pushing hard to be an outlet for his teammates or create space for them.

This even extended over to his defensive exertions, where he pressed and harried the opposition with intensity and commitment.

While his efforts without the ball deserved plenty of praise, Totti's work with the ball at his feet couldn't be faulted either. He pulled the strings beautifully for his side when in possession, fizzing the ball around with customary precision and confidence.

In tight spaces, his one- and two-touch game shone, as did his capacity to play a vast array of dinks and weighted through balls to unlock the Bologna backline.

The technical components of Totti's armoury have always brought joy to the Roma faithful, and he once again gave them plenty to smile about with his creativity and enviable catalogue of passes.

Although Totti has not featured as much as he would have liked this season, his entertaining, effective outing versus Bologna definitely demonstrated that, at 39, he’s still got it.