AC Milan vs AS Roma - Roma head to Milan knowing victory is needed to stay in title race

Posted Saturday, May 06, 2017 by PA

Everyone is beatable, according to Roma goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, and he knows the Giallorossi must beat AC Milan to retain any hope of winning the Serie A title.

Should Juventus beat Torino in Saturday's Derby della Mole, nothing else but a victory from their Sunday trip to San Siro will allow Roma to catch the Old Lady before the season concludes.

The capital club will therefore hope to go into the following weekend's home meeting with Juve with something to fight for, and on-loan Arsenal keeper Szczesny is keeping the faith ahead of the journey to Milan.

"We are Roma," he told the club's official website. "And for us everyone is beatable.

"We are expecting a tough match against a young and talented team, who in my opinion have done quite well this season. It will be a vital encounter for us, and we have to win it."

This week also brought confirmation that 40-year-old striker Francesco Totti will retire from playing at the end of the season, with a director's role beckoning at the club he has served for his entire career.

Szczesny added of his veteran team-mate: "For me it's been a great privilege to play with a player like him.

"I've been watching him on TV since I was a boy.

"There is also a responsibility, as a Roma player with Totti in the dressing room, to go out and play well.

"When his career ends it will be difficult for the club, but he will continue to do good work for us. We all know that he will always be one of us and that will help us."

Alessandro Florenzi is a long-time injury absentee while Antonio Rudiger and Kevin Strootman are suspended, the latter failing in an appeal against a two-match ban issued for diving in the Rome derby against Lazio.

Milan midfielder Juraj Kucka is banned, and the hosts are also without Alessio Romagnoli, Ignazio Abate, Giacomo Bonaventura and Luca Antonelli through injury.

One might expect that Rossoneri boss Vincenzo Montella would identify 25-goal striker Edin Dzeko as Roma's biggest threat heading into Saturday's showdown, but the diminutive coach appears to be unconvinced.

He told Il Giorno: "He's a very good player, his record speaks for itself, but I think I would pick a little guy like myself.

"They are more cunning."

He would not be drawn on Milan's summer transfer targets, however. The club's new Chinese owners are reportedly keen to bring former Juve man Alvaro Morata back to Italy from Real Madrid, and Karim Benzema is also on the list.

Montella added: "Everyone is talking about all sorts of players coming here. My ideal striker has to both score goals and work hard for the team.

"Some of the prices for players being floated around are illogical. You've also got to bear in mind that we'll have to outbid Juve, Napoli, Roma and Inter."

Milan are five points shy of Atalanta in the nearest Europa League place before round 35 gets under way.