Hoping to complete an incredible comeback and claim Champions League qualification, Roma will visit Torino on Serie A’s final matchday.
After rescuing his boyhood club from mediocrity, Claudio Ranieri can bring the curtain down on an illustrious career by steering the Giallorossi to fourth spot, but other results must also go their way on Sunday.
Match preview
Against all the odds, Roma have recovered from a nightmarish start to the 2024-25 campaign – which saw them dispense with club legend Daniele De Rossi, before an ill-fated spell under Ivan Juric – and they can still qualify for the Champions League with one round remaining.
Last week’s 3-1 win over AC Milan took their battle to the last breath – with Gianluca Mancini calming nerves by opening the scoring before Milan went down to 10 men – so a tense season finale awaits.
Juventus, who visit relegation-threatened Venezia, lead Roma by one point and sixth-placed Lazio by two, so they are on track to claim fourth spot – but both Rome clubs are poised to pounce if Juve slip up.
Should any of the trio finish level after 38 matches, head-to-heads, then goal difference and goals scored will be considered as tie-breakers. Juventus have a goal difference of +22, compared to the Giallorossi’s +19, and they have scored one more goal so far; however, if those stats somehow end level, a dramatic coin toss would determine fourth place.
Having stormed through the pack in 2025, led by local hero Ranieri, Roma recently saw a 19-game Serie A unbeaten streak ended by Atalanta BC, and that sole loss may prove costly.
Nonetheless, since the turn of the year they have conceded just 11 goals and kept 10 clean sheets; and whatever happens on Sunday, the 73-year-old can sign off his third spell in charge by sending the capital club back into Europe.
Ranieri’s 501st and final match as a Serie A manager – coming almost 35 years after his top-flight debut – is sure to be an emotional occasion, and securing Champions League football for the first time in seven seasons would provide a perfect full stop.
Precedent suggests that Torino may not put up much resistance, as Roma have won five of their last seven away games against the Granata.
In fact, Toro have won just one of the teams’ last 10 league meetings – including a 1-0 defeat at Stadio Olimpico in October – and they have little left to play for on Serie A’s final matchday.
They can no longer finish inside the top half after claiming maximum points from only one of their last eight outings, as form club Como have pulled clear in 10th place.
Beaten 1-0 down in Lecce last week, Paolo Vanoli’s goal-shy side have also scored just once in four games, and thoughts seem to be turning towards the summer.
While Torino will not want to aid fierce city rivals Juventus by beating Roma, they still hope to finish on a high on home turf – and another failure could see them slip down to 12th.
While Roma’s top scorer Artem Dovbyk could make the bench if he recovers from an adductor injury, captain Lorenzo Pellegrini and star man Paulo Dybala are both ruled out.
Dovbyk and Eldor Shomurodov were paired in attack after Dybala was sidelined for the rest of the season, but the Uzbek forward could now be supported by Matias Soule.
Since the start of February – when he broke into Claudio Ranieri’s preferred XI, starting 14 of 15 Serie A matches – the latter has created the most ‘big chances’ for his teammates (eight) and attempted the most dribbles (59) in Italy’s top tier.
Meanwhile, Che Adams is Torino’s main threat, having scored nine league goals so far; the Scottish striker could now reach double figures in one of Europe’s top five leagues for the first time to date.
In addition to long-term absentees Duvan Zapata and Perr Schuurs, the hosts may be without several other injured players on Sunday.
Borna Sosa and Alieu Njie (both ankle) are set to miss the season finale, but centre-back Saul Coco (hand) and attacking midfielder Eljif Elmas (thigh) could yet make the bench.
Torino possible starting lineup:
Milinkovic-Savic; Dembele, Maripan, Masina, Biraghi; Ricci, Gineitis; Lazaro, Vlasic, Gineitis; Adams
Roma possible starting lineup:
Svilar; Celik, Mancini, Ndicka; Saelemaekers, Cristante, Kone, Angelino; Pisilli, Soule; Shomurodov
