SPEZIA

League position: 15th
Head coach: Luca Gotti
Serie A top scorer: M'Bala Nzola (nine)

RECENT FORM

SPEZIA: D W D D W
ROMA: D W D W W

Despite going out in the cup in midweek, Spezia have enjoyed a fine start to 2023 after collecting five points from a possible nine so far this year and they are currently five without defeat (W2, D3) in the top-flight.

They start the weekend in 15th and a whole nine points clear of the relegation places, but they must make do without suspended Greek centre-back Dimitrios Nikolaou for the visit of Roma - while the likely absences of forward M'Bala Nzola and defender Jakob Kiwior will not help much either.

The Giallorossi have been even better than their hosts since the turn of the New Year, with their 2-0 win over Fiorentina last time out making it three wins out of an unbeaten four in all competitions.

Jose Mourinho’s side have kept three clean sheets in the process and go into Matchday 19 just four points off reigning league champions AC Milan in second-place.

Possible Spezia line-up

(3-4-2-1)

Dragowski; Ampadu, Amian, Caldara; Holm, Ekdal, Bourabia, Reca; Agudelo, Verde; Gyasi

LAST MEETING

DANGER MAN
Emmanuel Gyasi

Only Serie A top scorer Victor Osimhen (12) has scored more across the entire division than M'Bala Nzola (nine) so far this term.

The Angola international has been pivotal to Spezia’s recent upturn in form, scoring four times and laying on an assist in his past four appearances alone - so his likely absence could well be a significant blow.

Nzola clearly represents Spezia’s biggest threat to most defences, so in his absence captain Emmanuel Gyasi will likely have to step up and provide a similar all-action threat to the Giallorossi.

MATCH STATS

After Spezia won the first two meetings between these sides - both in the Coppa Italia - Roma have since collected three wins and a draw in the subsequent four Serie A fixtures.

Roma did the double over Spezia in 2021-22 and collected two clean sheets, courtesy of 2-0 and 1-0 wins at the Stadio Olimpico and Alberto Picco respectively.

Spezia have drawn six of their seven league matches at home this season - more than any other team in Serie A.

As for the Giallorossi, only Napoli (22 points) and Atalanta (20) have better away records than Roma (18).

PLAYER STATS

• Nzola has never scored against Roma, although he set up both goals in the 2-2 draw between the two sides in May 2021.
  
• Tammy Abraham has been involved in four goals in his last two Serie A appearances (one goal, two assists).
  
• On seven goals, Paulo Dybala is one strike away from hitting eight by the midway stage of a Serie A campaign for a fourth time. Since 2010, only Ciro Immobile (seven), Gonzalo Higuain (five), Mauro Icardi (five) and Antonio Di Natale (four) have done so as many times.
  
• There are only four players across the entire league with more assists than Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini (five) after 18 rounds of matches.

WHAT THEY SAID

“We will analyse the mistakes and try to impose ourselves against Roma, in our stadium where so far we have always had excellent performances.”

Petko Hristov after the cup defeat to Atalanta