Match Report – AS Roma v Fiorentina – 4th May 2025
On 6 May 2025 by Gillyowl
Roma 1 – 0 Fiorentina
Artem Dovbyk’s crucial goal, combined with a series of outstanding saves from Mile Svilar, propelled Roma to a well-deserved victory over Fiorentina — a performance that really shows the Giallorossi are pushing hard for that coveted top four spot under Claudio Ranieri.
This match was a real showdown between two teams vying for Champions League qualification, making it all the more important. With Paulo Dybala’s season unfortunately over, Roma stuck to the same starting XI that impressively beat Inter last week, showing great confidence and consistency. Fiorentina, on the other hand, rotated their squad in preparation for the semi-finals of the Conference League against Real Betis — bringing back Moise Kean alongside former Roma player Nicoló Zaniolo, adding some extra spice to the game.
Roma faced some challenges with Luca Ranieri suspended and Dodo and Danilo Cataldi out injured, but the team’s spirit was clear. Special mention to Edoardo Bove, making his emotional return to the Stadio Olimpico since his health scare — a reminder of the heart and resilience that runs through this Roma squad.
All in all, it was a fantastic team effort that keeps Roma firmly in the hunt for European football next season!
Lorenzo Pellegrini and Amir Richardson tried their luck from distance, with their shots unfortunately deflected away. But the first real moment of danger came after 27 minutes when Moise Kean cleverly turned Zeki Celik, bursting through to go clear on goal. Mile Svilar reacted quickly, rushing off his line to make himself big and parry Kean’s shot, keeping Roma in the game.
Just a few moments later, Kean found himself in space again, this time racing past Gianluca Mancini. He unleashed a low angled shot that forced Svilar into another impressive one-handed save at the near post. The effort showed Kean’s determination, but Roma’s defense held firm, keeping the score level and making sure the Giallorossi stayed in the hunt.
Roma had a promising start, with Celik making a dangerous run down the right flank. His powerful rising shot was expertly saved by De Gea, who got a fingertip to it from a tricky angle, denying Roma an early lead. Moments later, De Gea again showed his reflexes, palming away Mancini’s header off the corner. Kean tried his luck from the edge of the area, but his shot was straight at Svilar, allowing Roma to hold their ground.
It was Roma who finally broke the deadlock deep into the first-half stoppages. De Gea made a stunning save, flying across to tip Shomurodov’s half-volley over the bar. On the resulting corner, Shomurodov cleverly knocked down Angelino’s cross for Dovbyk to score with a diving header at the back post. Fiorentina players protested, feeling that the goal came beyond the allotted added time, but the goal stood, giving Roma the lead.
After the break, Fiorentina pushed hard, with Kone testing Svilar from long range and Zaniolo missing a golden chance, mis-kicking Amir Richardson’s pull-back from just six yards during a sustained period of pressure.
Svilar continued to impress, showing quick reflexes as Mandragora’s shot inside the box was deflected by his outstretched boot. He then made a spectacular double save when Kean was played through, first parrying the shot and then smothering the rebound — a true testament to Roma’s resilient goalkeeper.
The match ended with a bit of tension, as Zaniolo received a red card after trying to confront the referee — a sign of the intense battle on the pitch. Roma’s solid performance and determination ultimately kept them ahead in a fiercely contested match.
Mile Svilar
