Now, stay united. Slovan Bratislava. Roma 2-0 Genoa.
In a tweet from a few days ago, I argued that DDR—given all the love he has shown us—deserves a greater tribute than Mourinho, who is also rightly beloved. Some people took me to task for creating such a dichotomy.
This rebuke prompted me to reflect on two concepts characteristic of the new century. The first—and less significant—point is that, in the world of social media, people are always on the lookout for even the slightest inaccuracy to spark a controversy. As it happens, the person I was speaking with was right, but it was never my intention to create a binary opposition.
In the world of AS Roma, we are surrounded by dualisms and rivalries—fostered by the fans—among the club’s players. There is the "Mora" camp, the "Dybala" camp, and the "Pellegrini" camp. This brings us to a broader concept—one that I consider highly characteristic of the new century, and which also resonates within the realm of politics: objective judgment regarding sporting or political events no longer exists. Intellectual honesty has vanished.
Everyone reasons according to the party line they subscribe to—whether that "party" is a football team, a specific player (or, conversely, a faction opposed to a particular player), or an actual political party. It is as if these entities were close relatives who must be defended—well beyond, and not merely up to, any reasonable doubt. Consider, for instance, the editorial stance of *Tuttosport* regarding Juventus. But is this staunch, unconditional defense of one’s chosen totem actually beneficial to the very thing being defended?
For Juve, for instance, it’s a different story. *Tuttosport* went from hailing Vlahović as a hybrid of Van Basten and Ibrahimović—back when Juve wanted to keep him—to dismissing him as dead weight the moment Juve was no longer willing to pay his 12-million-euro-per-year salary. There are many such examples in the relationship between Juve and *Tuttosport*: while Juve continues to spend tens of millions—only to slip further down the league table—*Tuttosport* just keeps on playing its lyre, much like Nero while Rome burned.
Your humble—or rather, terrible—blogger is also a huge Roma fan, yet he always strives to maintain a clear-headed perspective; his assessments may sometimes be critical, but they are always detailed and constructive.
This could be a season that brings us great satisfaction. So, Romanisti Brothers, let us remain united and stand firm together—without splitting into factions. If we sow well, we shall reap sweet fruit in the spring.
For instance, we can say that our start in the Champions League has been inadequate, with just 1 point from 2 matches. This poor performance extends to all Italian teams in the UCL, none of whom are currently even in a playoff spot (with the exception of Como). Meanwhile, the aforementioned Juventus and Milan (both in the UEL) and Atalanta (in the UECL) are faring much better.
Next, we will host the Slovak side Slovan Bratislava. We go into the match as favorites, but any Champions League game must always be approached with great focus and heart.
The coach of Slovan Bratislava is the former great Manchester City midfielder, Yaya Touré.
We head into the match against Slovan following a good win over Genoa—a victory that came after a lackluster first half and an excellent second half. Roma had many players out injured, and Gasp chose to rest others, keeping the Champions League match and the upcoming away game in Naples in mind.
| 7th Serie A | First Half | Second Half | Final Score | Scorers |
 | 50′ Castro, 68′ Lulli | |||
 |
In the first half, we were never dominant—though Balerdi did hit the crossbar following an excellent corner kick from Pisilli—while our defensive play was flawless (even though Genoa also struck the crossbar with a long-range shot from El Sha, which was slightly deflected by Gollini). De Roon, Balerdi, Ndicka, and Koulierakis all performed well. Mora was never particularly incisive; he received few service opportunities and spent much of the time searching for the right positioning, but there is no question that he is a player of great technical quality.
In the second half, Soulè was decisive. When he plays on the right, he is one of the top 3 players in the world. That said, he can also be inconsistent; there are long stretches in a match where he disappears. I’m very happy about Lulli’s goal—he’s a player who could easily be a starter in many matches.
Now, We, Romanisti Brothers, we must move past taking sides for individual players and instead unite in our support for the entire club—without necessarily ruling out criticism, provided that such criticism remains respectful, detailed, and constructive. The match against Genoa serves as an indicator for the season ahead, but we must now turn the page and face Slovan Bratislava with all our strength.
Daje Roma!
Giordano Sepi