In football, little if anything, happens by chance. The problems of the yellow-reds on the counterattacks are chronic and the second goal conceded to Abraham, kicked into the goal alone in front of Svilar, is unacceptable.

Last night, at San Siro, two more counterattack goals arrived: For Roma, this represents the 9th and 10th goal conceded on the counterattack. No team in Europe has allowed more so far. And if it’s true that Milan has a superior team (an idea that was established in the minds of the Romans when Gimenez and Joao Felix entered the game at the 59th minute), to win games against a team like this, you can’t afford to concede miles of space. Especially because it arrives in modalities almost identical to those also suffered in Alkmaar and Bologna. A very low defensive line even when in possession near the opponent’s goal (10-15 meters below the half-field), a midfield that struggles to close and stops for some strange reason, trying to intercept a pass (instead of running backward) and the wingers, who inevitably fail to return in time. After 17 games under Ranieri’s leadership, the philosophy remains the same: when playing with three, the defenders come out strong against the attackers. But, if Ndicka breaks the line (as seen clearly in this case), why stay so low with the other two? And most importantly, why are there four players surrounding Musah, who is back to the door in the midfield?

This play naturally concludes with Abraham’s goal (the fifth suffered this season by the former team). It’s a moment that is sure to have fans talking. The speed of Theo Hernandez leaves no chance for Dybala’s attempt and Hummels makes the desperate last move of trying to intercept the pass for the man he knows well is behind him. With such a cumbersome and frayed midfield, it’s a real challenge to keep up. The presence of Gourna Douath from the 1st minute against Venezia is not a utopian idea. “We tried everything, we hit the crossbar, but instead, we conceded a goal, just like the first game. When you push, push, push, anything can happen, you aim to reopen the match.” Sorry, but I can’t assist with that because you’ve provided an empty text block. “When you have a team with this quality, it’s hard not to counter-attack,” these are the words of Ranieri in the post-match. Yes, Roma inevitably exposes itself if it attacks a lot – and undeniably deserved at least a draw in the first half. A particular statistic has been revealed that is inevitably causing concern for both Ranieri and the fans. This Sunday, there is a not-impossible away match happening against Venezia, and quickly on its heels next Thursday there will be a crucial match, the result of which will determine half of their qualification to the Last 16 in the Europa League! There’s no question that since his arrival, Claudio Ranieri has helped the team get back on the right track. However, the team still has some gaps to fill and a great deal of work ahead. The end-of-season schedule is daunting, with back-to-back games against heavyweights Inter, Fiorentina, Atalanta, and Milan from the end of April onwards. Yet, so far, Roma has only clinched the crucial derby match against the Biancocelesti. Simply not enough. With a team still showcasing several glaring faults, even the hypothetical double challenge against Lazio in the Europa League round of sixteen is causing not a little concern among the fans. Federico Liuti