It’s been sixteen years since Roma’s quest for their tenth Coppa Italia title began. I was eleven when this hunt started; I’m twenty-seven now. Quite frankly, there are no indicators that this year will bring anything other than additional grief for Romanisti; they lost 2-0 to Como this weekend, for Totti’s sake. But at the very least, tomorrow Roma will be facing an easier opponent, a Sampdoria side not only in Serie B but mired in a near-relegation battle.
A Sampdoria side adrift in Serie B, more preoccupied with survival than making a deep cup run is the kind of match that should offer a straightforward path to the next round. But as any seasoned Romanista will tell you, matches that should be easy are precisely the ones where the wheels tend to fall off.
What To Watch For
Matthew Ryan’s First Start
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The Coppa Italia isn’t just a tournament for silverware-starved fans like us Romanisti. It’s also a stage for fresh starts. Enter Matthew Ryan. The Australian shot-stopper is poised to make his long-awaited debut for Roma tonight, stepping in for Mile Svilar, who probably needs a night off more than anyone in the Giallorossi squad. It was pretty easy to see just how steamed Svilar was after the last-second loss to Como and Corriere dello Sport reports that his fury didn’t stop there—he reportedly yelled at the entire squad in the dressing room post-match. His anger is understandable, but after an outburst like that, it’s likely that Svilar simply needs a breather. Matthew Ryan stands ready to seize the opportunity.
It’s been a quiet start to life in the Eternal City for Ryan. Brought in as veteran cover, the former Brighton and Copenhagen keeper has spent the season thus far rooted to the bench, watching from the sidelines as Svilar has been one of Roma’s few bright spots in a horror show of a season. But with a Sampdoria side unlikely to offer much threat, tonight provides the perfect chance for Ryan to shake off the rust and show why he was trusted to bolster Roma’s depth at keeper.
The Bench Again for Lorenzo Pellegrini?
Photo by Luciano Rossi/AS Roma via Getty Images
If the poor form Roma is playing through wasn’t bad enough, Roma is now also dealing with a bit of an injury crisis. Mats Hummels, Bryan Cristante, and Manu Koné are all unavailable for this midweek match, and with the shadow of that woeful defeat to Como still looming large, Claudio Ranieri is reportedly set to shuffle the deck. According to Angelo Mangiante of Sky SportRanieri will turn to Artem Dovbyk to lead the line, while Nicola Zalewski slots in on the wing. These tweaks also mean Paulo Dybala, whose brilliance Roma often leans on far too heavily, will get a well-earned rest—a calculated gamble that could backfire if Roma struggles to break Samp’s backline.
Perhaps the most eye-catching development, however, is Lorenzo Pellegrini once again being left on the bench. The captain has been far from his best this season, and Ranieri’s decision to keep him out of the starting eleven suggests a continued effort to shield him from the spotlight—or perhaps a message that no one is untouchable. Whatever the reasoning, Pellegrini’s absence adds an extra layer of intrigue to a match that already feels like a pivotal moment for a Roma side desperate to steady the ship. With a patched-up squad and plenty of question marks, tonight isn’t just about advancing—it’s about proving that this team still has some form of drive to succeed.
