Roma vs Manchester City preview

December 9, 2014
By: Nemanja Lazarevic

Roma vs Man CityAS Roma need a win or a goalless draw in order to make it to the next round, provided CSKA Moscow do not win at Alianz Arena, with the Giallorossi still the masters of their own destiny.

Meanwhile, Manchester City would also go through with any win at Stadio Olimpico as well as any scoring draw, that is unless CSKA can match or better their result.

AS Roma have played some important games this season on two fronts, and the team have so far done well to balance between their Serie A and Champions League campaigns.

The Giallrossi were certainly disappointed to have failed to take advantage of Juventus’ draw with Fiorentina, having only mustered a 2-2 draw at home against Sassuolo, although they showed a lot of character to come from two goals behind.

Meanwhile, bar the two defeats to Bayern Munich, Roma were pretty good in the Champions League, defeating CSKA at home and sharing spoils with Manchester City on the road, although the very late equalizer they conceded in Moscow made their task a lot more difficult.

And even if the hosts would probably qualify in case of a goalless draw, they need to try and defeat Manchester City on Wednesday, with home win paying 2.50 (3/2).

Coach Rudi Garcia has doubts over the fitness of former Arsenal forward Gervinho, who has trained individually after suffering a knee injury at the weekend.

Meanwhile, Douglas Maicon is set to be recalled, but Daniele De Rossi is expected to be left on the bench, with Radja Nainggolan tipped to start.

Probable starting line-up (4-3-3): De Sanctis – Maicon, Manolas, Yanga-Mbiwa, Holebas – Pjanic, Keita, Nainggolan – Ljajic, Totti, Gervinho.

Even if they were again placed in a tough Champions League group, Manchester City were pretty disappointing throughout and if it hadn’t been for the fortunate home win over Bayern Munich, they wouldn’t even stand a chance of getting through.

It was team’s performances against CSKA Moscow, arguably the weakest side in the group, that could cost them dearly, with the Citizens squandering a two-goal lead in Moscow before losing at home to the same side.

In the meantime, Manuel Pellegrini’s charges did well to get their Premiership campaign back on track, closing the gap behind Chelsea to three points, but club owners will be very disappointed if the Citizens again crash out in the Champions League group stage.

This is why Manchester City have got to try and win at Stadio Olimpico, even if odds of 3.00 (2/1) offered on away win are enough to suggest they will not have an easy task.

And with key attacker Sergio Aguero ruled out through a knee injury and Yaya Toure banned, the visitors clearly face an uphill task in Rome.

The good news is that Edin Dzeko has returned into action, while the latest reports suggest captain Vincent Kompany will be fit to play as well.

Probable starting line-up (4-2-3-1): Hart – Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Clichy – Lampard, Fernando – Navas, Nasri, Milner – Dzeko.

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