Following a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Porto in the second and decisive leg of the Europa League Knockout Phase Playoffs last week, which saw Roma qualify for the Round of 16 next month against Athletic Club Bilbao, Claudio Ranieri’s team needed an easy day at the office—the kind of match where you didn’t have to hold your breath and worry that the Giallorossi might fall victim to a fluke goal, the referee overlooking a clear penalty, or even an act of God, and that’s exactly what they received.
With another jampacked crowd at the Stadio Olimpico for a rare Monday night fixture, Ranieri went deep into the well, shuffling his starting lineup after a brutal stretch that saw the club play nine matches in approximately 30 days. While Roma’s Europa League tilt against Athletic Club is still a couple of weeks away, Ranieri decided to rest the likes of Paulo Dybala and Leandro Paredes, giving starting nods to Matías Soulé, Tommaso Baldanzi and Bryan Cristante while also welcoming Mats Hummels back from a brief respite on the bench.
However, considering the disparity in class and form between these two clubs, it really didn’t matter who Ranieri chose to start. On one side, you had Roma, a squad riding a nine-match unbeaten streak that hadn’t lost a home game in 2025, while on the other side, you had Monza, sitting at the bottom of the league and winners of only two matches since late October.
The odds were always in Roma’s favor, but to their credit, the capital club left nothing to chance. Rather than patiently waiting for Monza to expose themselves as overmatched and outwitted, Roma pressed the issue early and often. And thanks to a stunning goal from Alexis Saelemaekers in the 10th minute, the Giallorossi essentially put this match to bed after 600 some odd seconds.
Despite that golazo and the clear divide separating these teams, Roma fans have learned never to count their chickens before they hatch; one-goal leads tend to evaporate in the Eternal City. Fortunately, Ranieri and Roma wouldn’t have to wait long for the fireworks to commence, as Eldor Shomurodov padded the club’s lead in the 32nd minute, capping off a beautiful individual effort from Matíás Soulé, who danced his way into the area before finding Shomu in the box for a free header.
