Opinion: 3 notable performances from Cluj victory

We’ve picked out three individual Roma performances that stood out from their 2-0 win at Cluj on Thursday that secured qualification from Group A in the Europa League with two games to play.

LEONARDO SPINAZZOLA

With Paulo Fonseca missing the services of Federico Fazio, Roger Ibanez, Marash Kumbulla, Gianluca Mancini and Chris Smalling, the Roma coach was left with Juan Jesus as his sole out-and-out fit centre-half in Cluj.

As he often has done under the Portuguese coach, Bryan Cristante continued to impressively deputise in defence but there was a first start of his career at centre-back for Spinazzola - who lasted over an hour in his new role before being rested for Sunday’s trip to Napoli.

He too made the transition inside look comfortable for a player more accustomed to driving at opposition full-backs than marking centre-forwards; his pace and composure on the ball - as well as the 27-year-old’s fine passing and positioning - making Spinazzola both the perfect foil and cover for Bruno Peres to provide Roma’s width on the right.

RICCARDO CALAFIORI

The 18-year-old left-back not only made just his first appearance of the season since returning from coronavirus, but also only his second senior outing for Roma and his debut in Europe.

All of that would have suggested potential signs of either a rustiness or naivety - even a combination of the two - but far from it as Calafiori once again showed why there is excitement growing around his ongoing development.

With Cluj largely standing off the visitors, Calafiori was allowed free reign to express himself in an attacking sense as he displayed the pace and dribbling that have stood out in his two professional matches to date, while not missing a trick defensively in what was yet another highly mature performance from the teenager.

AMADOU DIAWARA

Guinea midfielder Diawara, like Calafiori, has been missing from Roma’s matchday squads for the bulk of this season after contracting coronavirus while on international duty towards the start of October.

But he managed 10 minutes of the 3-0 win over Parma on Sunday and stepped up his return to full match fitness with a solid 77-minute runout under tricky conditions in Romania.

Diawara was typically assured in possession as he made every one of his 88 touches count and the Giallorossi will be delighted to have seen the 23-year-old back at the base of their midfield.