Juventus vs AS Roma: 3 key players for Roma on Sunday in Serie A

1. Lorenzo Pellegrini

Perhaps Jose Mourinho himself would not disagree that Roma’s number seven, Lorenzo Pellegrini, is the most fundamental cog in his machine. If the system implemented by Mourinho is to work, Pellegrini has to be at the top of his game. In return, individual fulfilment, as well as collective achievements, will follow.

In a side that has recently mastered the 4-2-3-1, Pellegrini plays at the “number 10” position for the Giallorossi. Though, Mourinho’s strong standards of being compact structurally on the field don’t always bother Pellegrini’s tendency to move freely across the attacking half of the pitch.

He works as a connector between the team’s midfield and attack, creates chances with line-breaking passes, and often rotates with either of the inside forwards to move onto the flanks. Working from quite a few angles, Pellegrini does possess some worthy cards under his sleeves.

The way he cunningly and abruptly makes his forward runs into the oppositions’ 18-yard box could catch any defence by surprise, let alone the Juventus one that has already conceded ten goals from seven games. Captaining the club, Pellegrini has logged seven goals and two assists from ten games across all competitions, according to the stats from Transfermarkt.

Born and bred in Rome, Pellegrini joined the Roma academy at the age of 11 in 2007. Emerging through the ranks, Pellegrini is experiencing his eighth season in Serie A. Despite playing for so long, he has never scored more than seven goals in a single season at the top tier of Italian club football. Maybe Jose Mourinho’s hiring could be the turning point in his career, with Pellegrini only three goals away from matching his personal best in a single campaign.

As for Juventus, the midfielders and defence need to be wary of Pellegrini’s defence-penetrating runs from the deep as well as his glaring deliveries into the box. In an attempt to keep their first clean sheet in Serie A after 20 games, Juventus threw their all out on the field against Torino on the previous matchday.

A defensive stoutness of similar sort might come to Juve’s rescue against a well-oiled Roma side this Sunday.