Match Report: Atalanta V AS Roma 3rd January 2026
On 4 January 2026 by Gillyowl
Atalanta 1 – 0 AS Roma
Gian Piero Gasperini’s return to Bergamo ended in bitter frustration as Roma slumped to a narrow 1–0 defeat against Atalanta — a result that once again exposed familiar flaws and marked a worrying third straight Serie A away loss. Atalanta, efficient rather than impressive, made the most of their moment to claim a fourth win in five, while Roma were left wondering how yet another one-goal defeat slipped through their fingers.
Roma were handed a golden opportunity just seven minutes in when Paulo Dybala capitalised on Ederson’s dreadful backpass and teed up Evan Ferguson. What should have been the breakthrough instead became a symbol of the night: Carnesecchi saved the first effort, and Ferguson’s clever chip was heroically cleared off the line by Djimsiti. That miss would haunt Roma almost immediately.
Five minutes later, Atalanta scored from chaos. Nicola Zalewski’s corner should have been routine, but Mile Svilar spilled it, and Scalvini bundled the ball over the line after a painfully long VAR check. Against the run of play, Roma found themselves behind — a familiar script this season.
Despite the stat that the team scoring first had won 16 of Roma’s 17 matches, Atalanta were hardly convincing. Zalewski wasted a decent chance, Scamacca curled narrowly wide, and even when the striker headed home from a Bernasconi cross, VAR again intervened to chalk it off. Roma were lucky to still be alive, but offered little to truly seize control.
The second half brought flashes but no cohesion. Ferguson forced a fine save with a moment of individual brilliance, and Soulé briefly threatened at the near post, but everything Roma did felt improvised rather than structured. The midfield was anonymous, the supply line to Ferguson non-existent, and attacks repeatedly fizzled out before reaching dangerous areas.
Atalanta barely pushed for a second — Bernasconi dragged one wide, Krstović headed over late on — yet Roma still couldn’t find a response. Dybala’s speculative bicycle kick drifting wide summed it up: hopeful, desperate, ineffective.
Another one-goal defeat, another missed opportunity, another night where Roma beat themselves as much as the opposition. Four defeats in six have effectively dissolved any remaining title ambition, and the pattern is becoming impossible to ignore.
Frankly, Gasperini got it wrong. The setup was wrong, the midfield offered nothing, and Ferguson was left isolated with no service. Roma desperately missed Ángelino’s pace and width — someone willing and able to feed balls into the box and stretch defences. The back line lacked leadership and cohesion, and at this point Gianluca Mancini deserves the captain’s armband for his presence and accountability.
This wasn’t about Atalanta being brilliant. This was about Roma being predictable, blunt, and poorly organised — and that’s the most frustrating part of all. 🟡🔴
