Serie A heavyweights AS Roma are given a seemingly easy task in the final round of Serie A as Giallorossi look to clinch the runners-up spot and lock the automatic Champions League group stage promotion next year against Genoa.

Roma’s New Beginnings

The final match of the season will mark the end of an era. Following more than two decades of loyal service, AS Roma captain Francesco Totti is leaving his beloved club. A bitter feeling remains as Totti’s departure seems to be a forced one. The veteran midfielder is yet to comment on his next move and it is still unknown whether he will hang up his boots and accept Roma’s offer to join the newly-appointed sports director Monchi in the office. Football be in the shadow on Sunday as AS Roma prepare a send-off for their legend, but Giallorossi still feel the pressure and need to be on top of their game in order to secure a Champions League group stage finish. Sitting in second place at the table one point ahead third-place Napoli, Roma need to beat struggling Genoa to finish their season on a high note. Sunday’s match will not only be the end for Totti, it is likely to mark the end of the road for head coach Luciano Spalletti who is linked with the Inter Milan job. Sassuolo headman Eusebio Di Francesco is expected to be named the next Roma boss and summer ahead of us will, like we said, bring a new dawn to the Roma-based giants.

Luciano Spalletti will have no selection worries ahead of the final match of the season and is expected to name the strongest line-up for the last hoorah. Francesco Totti is set to replace Edin Dzeko upfront in the starting line-up.

Struggling Genoa

After finishing 11^th in the 2015/16 season in Serie A, Genoa had high hopes for the current campaign. Still, the aspirations of I Rossoblu came short this season as the club looks set for a disappointing 16^th-place finish in the Italian top tier. Only four points away from the relegation zone is not a record to be proud of and Ivan Juric’s men have every reason to feel disappointed with how the current season panned out. The total of 19 games lost and only 9 won are more than enough to provide a deeper insight in Genoa’s struggles. What is more, the club’s away record this season serves as an even bigger warning ahead of the final match of the season. I Rossoblu won only one of their last 16 matches on the road, and mere three in total this term. Summer ahead of us is likely to ring plenty of changes at Genoa as well since the club will struggle to keep hold on first-team stars such as Diego Laxalt in the first place. The 24-year-old Uruguay international has impressed at Genoa this season since joining permanently from Inter Milan and has apparently drawn plenty of interest from the Premier League champions Chelsea.

Armando Izzo is set to miss the match through suspension, whereas Genoa will also be without Raul Asencio and Mattia Perin who are both suffering from injuries.

Verdict

AS Roma need a strong finish in the last-ever match for their captain Francesco Totti. They are fighting for more than just pride as their Champions League group stage place is at stake as well. A clean-cut home victory is expected here.

Top pick: Both teams to score – No   1.62 (8/13) @WilliamHill

Alternative pick 1: Roma to Win to Nil   1.67 (4/6) @StanJames

Alternative pick 2: Roma to win both halves   1.62 (8/13) @SportingBet