Roma Near Champions League Return After Derby Win

Roma took a massive stride toward a Champions League return with a 2-0 derby victory over local rivals Lazio on Sunday, while Napoli officially secured their top-four finish with a 3-0 win at Pisa.

Gianluca Mancini was the star of the fiery Stadio Olimpico clash, smashing home two decisive headers from corner kicks—one in each half.

The high-stakes triumph, combined with Juventus’s shocking 2-0 home loss to Fiorentina, propelled Gian Piero Gasperini’s side into fourth place.

Roma have not featured in Europe’s elite competition since 2019, but a final-day victory against relegated Verona next weekend will now guarantee their qualification.

The volatile nature of the capital derby boiled over in the 66th minute, right after Mancini bulleted in his second goal from a Paulo Dybala corner.

A heated on-pitch scrap resulted in red cards for both Nicolò Rovella and Wesley, forcing both teams to finish the match with ten men. To avoid a clash with the nearby Italian Open tennis final, the kickoff was advanced by half an hour.

The atmosphere inside the ground heavily favoured Roma, as Lazio fans continued their months-long boycott in protest against club owner Claudio Lotito.

While Roma fought for position, Napoli comfortably wrapped up their Champions League objective.

Scott McTominay opened the scoring against Pisa in the 21st minute with his 14th goal of the season, and Amir Rrahmani quickly doubled the lead five minutes later. Rasmus Højlund rounded off the smooth victory in stoppage time.

Højlund’s goal marked a lucrative milestone, as Napoli’s confirmed top-four finish officially triggered a €44 million obligation-to-buy clause in his loan agreement from Manchester United.

The race for the final European spots will go down to the wire next weekend.

AC Milan currently sit level on points with Roma in third place after a hard-fought 2-1 win at Genoa, courtesy of a Christopher Nkunku penalty and a late Zachary Athekame strike.

Conversely, Juventus’s dismal performance against Fiorentina dropped them to sixth.

Despite the setback, Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti refused to rule his side out of the running, noting that favourable head-to-head records keep them in the hunt if Roma, Milan, or fifth-placed Como slip up.

Meanwhile, Inter Milan celebrated drawing 1-1 with Verona by lifting their 21st league trophy at the San Siro.