Daniele De Rossi’s Roma reinvigorated, Bologna pushing for history – who will make Champions League in Serie A? - Eurosport

The current competition for the UEFA Champions League spots in Serie A is truly captivating and happening all around Europe. You can witness this thrilling event firsthand by tuning into TNT Sports or discovery+.

Nevertheless, the competition for the Champions League spots has been nerve-wracking with numerous unexpected changes.

It's fascinating to note that UEFA has introduced a new regulation that awards an additional spot to the top two countries with excellent co-efficient. At present, Italy appears to have a good chance of securing one of these extra spots.

During a typical season, one of the established major teams would automatically receive an additional qualification opportunity. However, this particular season, they are having to fiercely compete just for the possibility of making it to that level.

Now, let's go over each team one by one as they compete to earn a spot among the top teams in Europe for the following season.

Let's talk about one of the most impressive stories of the current season in Europe. Thiago Motta's amazing performance as Bologna's manager proves that with clever management and strategic hiring, anything is possible.

As mentioned by the writer, this is a significant football club. They have won the Scudetti seven times and enjoy one of the highest attendance figures in Italy. Although others use the term "Seven Sisters" to refer to the top clubs in the country, Bologna, along with the next club we will discuss, are competing to be part of the nine "big" teams in Italy.

Is it possible for them to achieve it? Definitely! This group of players hasn't been deciphered yet and with only one-third of the season left, they have a great chance of success. They have been on an unbeatable streak of five games and, importantly, almost all of their team members are in good health as we approach the last part of the season.

Another key determining factor? Their formidable defense. Motta’s team boasts one of the best defensive records in the league, surpassed only by Inter and Juventus, the top two teams in the standings.

Additionally, they do not have any additional games in Europe.

If you think that Atalanta won't make it to the European rankings, that's your call. Ever since Gian Piero Gasperini became the head coach in 2016, Atalanta has managed to secure a spot in the top seven in six out of seven seasons, with four of those being in the top four.

Having prior experience could be essential in this situation. Gasperini and the more experienced players on the team have already been in this position and understand the challenges that come with competing for a prestigious award.

They will require that expertise as they have a rigorous schedule ahead. Apart from competing with three other European Six members, they also have to confront Juventus (after the recent loss to Inter by Milan), and play two matches in both the Europa League and the Coppa Italia.

Is this team able to handle the pressure? Similar to Bologna, none of their players have scored more than ten goals in the league this season.

If Atalanta wants to succeed, Ademola Lookman seems to be the key player. This Nigerian striker was doing a great job before he left to play in the Africa Cup of Nations. If he continues playing just as well as before, Atalanta should have a good chance of finishing in the top five. It's worth mentioning that Atalanta and their next opponent have the best scoring records of all the teams.

We're about to discover a huge amount of information about Daniele De Rossi and the Roma team in this segment.

The accomplishments of the iconic midfielder in his second stint as a manager, after succeeding Jose Mourinho, have been remarkably notable.

He has emerged victorious in five out of his six matches in Serie A. However, the opponents he defeated - Hellas Verona, Salernitana, Cagliari, Frosinone, and Torino - were all teams that Roma was expected to beat. Although there was a loss against Inter, it was not a disgraceful one, and Roma did an excellent job of overcoming Feyenoord in the Europa League. Therefore, there are several positive indicators that suggest Roma is heading in the right direction.

The management of Roma made a wise decision by giving De Rossi enough time to prepare, but the moment has arrived for him to prove his worth. His outstanding performance on Monday indicates that he might be the ideal player to bring out the best in Paulo Dybala. Moreover, it's worth mentioning that Tammy Abraham is expected to make a comeback in a few weeks.

Fiorentina, much like Atalanta, have the challenging task of balancing their responsibilities in both European competition and the cup alongside their obligations in the league. Moreover, they also have to confront the likes of Juventus and AC Milan as they progress towards the end of the season.

Vincenzo Italiano's team has had a very inconsistent season. Last year, they almost won two cups but ended up losing. It's uncertain if they'll focus more on these competitions in an attempt to make up for those defeats.

Fiorentina and the other teams are facing an intriguing situation. They aren't eligible for the Champions League through the Europa League, which means they'll have to work hard to secure the fourth and fifth spots. Some serious effort will be required to make significant progress.

Lucas Beltran has the potential to perform incredibly well, and Nico Gonzalez is undoubtedly one of the league's top players. However, it's difficult to pinpoint Fiorentina's specific strengths. They rank third in terms of attack among six teams but unfortunately, they also have the second-weakest defence. We had expected that at least one of their newly acquired strikers during the summer would help them achieve a higher position on the leaderboard. It seems likely that one of these strikers will have to go on a winning streak for the team to close the gap.

Currently, Lazio appears to be an intriguing team.

The group defeated Bayern Munich in the Champions League, but they haven't been playing well lately. They've lost to teams like Fiorentina, Bologna, and Atalanta. Therefore, some may be shocked that they're not doing better.

It seems like Maurizio Sarri's tenure in the city might be nearing its conclusion, although the team is still in the Coppa Italia and they have yet to play their second leg against Bayern. Nonetheless, there are currently a number of promising young Italian coaches, leading to speculation that owner Claudio Lotito might consider a fresh start for the team.

It's not completely unlikely for them to make it to the top four or five. They only have to face one of their close competitors (that match against Roma) and play against the two Milan clubs. However, if you look at the current rankings of their other opponents, they are positioned at 11th, 12th, 13th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, and 20th place.

If Lazio keeps playing as well as they have been lately, they could potentially earn at least 20 points from their upcoming games. However, predicting how they will perform is difficult since their performance can vary greatly from week to week. Out of the six teams, Lazio has scored the fewest goals. If they don't improve this area, it's unlikely that they'll be able to rely solely on their defense to climb the Serie A rankings this season.

It's quite a challenge for Napoli to be included in this discussion. It's a substantial amount of points for any team to recover, and it seems unlikely that Napoli, who only made it this far because they won last year's championship, will be able to accomplish it.

The situation in Naples is tough following a draw of 1-1 while playing away at Cagliari. Although Francesco Calzona has displayed potential as the third manager of the team this season, it's important to remember that he is simultaneously holding his position as the full-time manager of Slovakia.

In the Champions League, Napoli's success against Barcelona is uncertain. However, if they manage to overcome this hurdle, they may have a chance of advancing further. However, their main focus for the moment should be on two objectives. Firstly, they need to finish in the top seven to secure a spot in a European competition. Secondly, they need to start planning for the future of the team by identifying the players who will be a part of the next squad.

We are aware that Piotr Zielinski has confirmed his transfer to Inter. Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are likely to be pursued by other clubs as well. Additionally, Stanislav Lobotka has previously been rumored to leave. It is important to determine who will form the core of the team.

Top Mentions: Final Thoughts

We have discussed Milan a few times already and it's uncertain whether they or Juventus are completely ruled out of the competition. Milan is currently leading by five points and Juventus by nine, so they both should be in a good position. However, neither team has played convincingly enough to guarantee their success. Milan is set to play two games against the six remaining opponents, including the team's long-standing rivals, Inter. On the other hand, Juventus will play five games plus a match against Milan on April 28. Although they are expected to do well, there's a chance that they may not succeed after all.

Lower in the rankings it was difficult to exclude Torino (in 10th place) and Monza (in 11th place), as both were only one point behind Napoli. Even Genoa, who are currently in 12th place, are just three points away. However, we had to set a limit somewhere.

Once more, Ivan Juric is proving to be a potentially captivating Torino coach if he were provided with more assets. Rafaele Palladino (Monza) and Alberto Gilardino (Genoa) are also significant figures in the new wave of young Italian trainers we previously spoke about with Motta. As the season draws to a close, Juventus, Milan, Roma, Lazio and Napoli may all be in the market for new coaches, making them all highly sought after.

Lastly, it's important to remember that finishing in seventh place might not guarantee a spot in Europe. The top four teams in the Coppa Italia are Juventus, Lazio, Atalanta, and Fiorentina. If either Lazio or Fiorentina win the Coppa Italia but finish outside of the top five, then there won't be an additional spot available for the team in sixth place.

The upcoming end to the season in Serie A is expected to be amazing, and you're able to view it firsthand through TNT Sports and discovery+.

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