Roma Set For Salernitana Test In Serie A Opening Match

Having finished out of the top 4 under Jose Mourinho for successive seasons, the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager would look to get Roma back into a Champions League spot this season.

Despite their fairytale run in the Europa League, a shambolic slip-up at the last stage of the tournament costed the club a successive European trophy and the Giallorossi would be vying to kick-off the campaign on a high with a win against Salernitana in their opening encounter.

The visitors possess a heartbreaking record against the home side with just a single win in their history coming back in 1999. Salernitana rounded off their previous campaign just two spots about the drop zone and would look to scale new heights this season.

Paulo Sousa’s side would be well aware of the competition they would face and would want to begin the new season with an upset on Sunday.

Jose Mourinho’s side will miss the services of some crucial names heading into their opening week of the Serie A.

Argentine World Cup Winner Paulo Dybala and club captain Lorenzo Pellegrini are both serving a suspension from last campaign and are touted to miss the inaugural match. While Roma have a huge hole to fill in their defense with Roger Ibanez flying off to Saudi Arabia to play for Al-Ahli.

Former Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka would be vying to get his first start and partner Chris Smalling and Gianluca Mancini in the heart of Roma’s defense. Georginio Wijnaldum and Nemanja Matic are the other two major departures from the club.

Former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham is still recovering from his ACL injury and Mourinho would have to field a younger strike force in the absence of Abraham and Dybala.

Roma’s latest signing Houssem Aouar has signed from Lyon this season and could deputise for Paulo Dybala. Rasmus Kristensen is another player who could be utilised on the right flank by the ‘Special One’.