The climate and Roma: two precious assets to protect. Fener-Roma 1-1. Toro.
We come away with a draw from a match played in the kind of white-hot atmosphere only Istanbul can deliver. No excuses. No regrets. On this occasion, in partnership with the World Food Programme, Roma wore a message of solidarity on their shirts for Nepal, which had been struck by devastating floods caused by the collapse of a massive glacier.
Fenerbahçe proved to be an excellent opponent, driven by a highly passionate crowd. In the first half, Roma asserted their superior technical quality, and play took place primarily in the Turkish side's half. This dominance was capped by a goal from Cristante, who scored with a fine shot from distance. He was set up by Malen, who was being pressed by three Fenerbahçe defenders; when the opposition doubles up on him, he has to look for the assist.
| 1st UCL | First Half | Second Half | Final Score | Scorers |
 | 48′ Brown | |||
 | 39′ Cristante |
In the second half, Fener attacked more, and Brown scored the equalizer. We were caught off guard by the movement of Brown—a full-back—who positioned himself as a central striker. In my view, Mancini made a mistake there by leaving him unmarked to go after Greenwood, who then provided the assist to the other Englishman. Generally speaking, when we step up to press, we leave too much space in behind. Ultimately, it is up to Gasp to assess the specifics of the defensive phase.
Now we need to turn the page immediately and focus on the upcoming away match in Turin. Toro is a good team with a good coach in the young Abate. Their league position doesn't reflect their true quality. We need to get back on track right away—after the slight stumble in Istanbul—because Serie A can bring us great satisfaction.
5 tactical observations:
3) Man-mark their playmakers, Mandragora and Fitz-Jim (whom I call "Spritz-Jim" for his creativity with the final pass), as they are the primary source of their attacking play.
4) They attack primarily through the wide players (Fortini on the right and Cacciamani on the left), who then deliver very dangerous crosses.
5) Alternatively, they are also dangerous with long-range shots from Vlasic (left-footed) and Gineitis.
After three wins, a minor stumble is to be expected—especially in Istanbul, given the atmosphere and the strength of the opposing team. Now we head to another cauldron of an arena: the Stadio Grande Torino. It will be crucial to up the tempo and control the match, all while remaining wary of counter-attacks. The "heat" of the crowd at the Toro stadium arrives just as the weather has finally cooled down—though one hopes the floods do not prove tragic. Both Roma and the climate are precious assets that must be protected.
Daje Roma!
Giordano Sepi