Overview
Since the beginning of March, Roma has only won 4 points after 5 matches in Serie A, thereby creating conditions for Como and Juventus to break away in the race to win tickets to European cups.
Contrary to usual, the Giallorossi conceded 12 goals in this period of decline - a number equivalent to the total number of goals conceded from November to February - after suffering a heavy defeat against Inter Milan in the most recent match.
Being led from the first minute, coach Gian Piero Gasperini's team finally succumbed at San Siro to the Serie A championship contender, thereby extending their poor performance away from home.
Currently ranked sixth in the standings, Roma is 4 points behind fourth-placed Como when the season is only 7 rounds away, while Juventus is in the middle.
Atalanta - the team ranked seventh - is also only 1 point behind, causing any mistakes at this time to pay a heavy price. After being eliminated from the Europa League by Bologna, Roma's ticket to the European Cup next season is still open.
In that context, returning to home is a great support, as Roma has won 10/15 matches in Serie A this season, with the most recent defeat at the Olimpico since December.
A victory this weekend is a mandatory goal, especially when ahead of them is a challenging schedule with opponents such as Atalanta, Fiorentina, Bologna and Lazio.
Meanwhile, Pisa has a not very positive head-to-head record when they have only won 2 out of 10 previous encounters with Roma, most recently losing 0-1 at home in August last year.
The positive signs at the beginning of the season quickly disappeared when this team fell into a 17-match winless streak, and has never really regained stability. After a 0-1 defeat to Torino in the previous round, Pisa is currently at the bottom of the table with 18 points, 9 points behind the safe group when the season is only 7 rounds left.
The Tuscany team has only had 2 wins since the beginning of the season, and the change on the coaching bench has also not brought about clear results. Since being appointed in early February, coach Oscar Hiljemark has only had 1 win after 8 matches.
In fact, Pisa is sliding downhill when they have not scored in 5/7 recent matches. Notably, since Hiljemark took over, they are the only team that has not scored away from home.
This trip to Rome also comes with the goal of ending the 15-match winless streak away from home. However, if they do not create a surprise, Pisa will go one step closer to the prospect of relegation.
Personnel situation
After conceding 3 goals in just 12 minutes in the second half of the collapsing match against Inter, Roma may make changes in the upcoming match. Gianluca Mancini will be sidelined due to a groin muscle injury.
The Italian defender joined the notable absence list including the trio of strikers Paulo Dybala, Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson, although key midfielder Manu Kone and Brazilian full-back Wesley are both about to return.
Meanwhile, the away team is still missing Daniel Denoon, Marius Marin and Isak Vural due to injury, but veteran midfielder Juan Cuadrado returned to the bench last weekend.
After serving a two-match suspension, new signing Rafiu Durosinmi can now return to play, putting pressure on Henrik Meister's striker position.
Expected lineup:
Svilar, Ghilardi, Ndicka, Hermoso, Celik, Cristante, Pisilli, Tsimikas, Soule, Pellegrini, Malen.
Semper, Calabresi, Caracciolo, Canestrelli, Leris, Hojolt, Akinsanmiro, Aebischer, Angori, Tramoni, Durosinmi.
The match between Roma and Pisa takes place at 1:45 am on April 11 (Vietnam time).
