Daniele De Rossi Faces Tough Midfield Decision for Roma’s Match Against Cagliari

Roma’s manager Daniele De Rossi will face a difficult decision for their upcoming match against Cagliari as he finally has all of his midfielders available. With the suspensions of Bryan Cristante against Hellas Verona and Leandro Paredes against Salernitana, the midfield trio practically chose itself for the last two matches. However, with Cristante, Paredes, Lorenzo Pellegrini, and Edoardo Bove all available, De Rossi will have to decide on the starting three in midfield.

De Rossi acknowledged the depth in his midfield options, mentioning Renato Sanches and Houssem Aouar as well. He emphasized the advantage of having great players and the ability to make rotations in the squad. While choices depend on the opponent and upcoming fixtures, De Rossi understands the challenge of leaving players out of the starting lineup. He mentioned Nicola Zalewski, who hasn’t seen much action lately, as an example. Nevertheless, De Rossi appreciates the depth of his squad and the importance of rotation.

With Cristante, Paredes, and Pellegrini projected to start, Bove is expected to come off the bench. Renato Sanches, who has been out due to an injury, is available. Chris Smalling is also nearing a return, while the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is coming to an end, offering De Rossi more defensive options soon. For the match against Cagliari, Dean Huijsen, Gianluca Mancini, and Diego Llorente are the only available options for the heart of Roma’s defense. In the absence of Leo Spinazzola, Angeliño is expected to make his first start at left-back, with Rick Karsdorp playing on the opposite flank.

Upfront, the attacking trio is likely to remain unchanged with Paulo Dybala, Romelu Lukaku, and Stephan El Shaarawy leading the line. De Rossi spoke about Dybala’s positioning on the pitch, comparing it to his former teammate Francesco Totti’s role during their time together. He emphasized the importance of giving talented players like Dybala more freedom and allowing them to read the game. De Rossi believes in occupying spaces in football and relying on players’ instincts. He mentioned his experience playing alongside Totti for 20 years, where they knew to focus on getting into good positions for Totti to set up goals.