It’s certainly been an interesting, unexpected, and exciting week in the Romaverse. After a surprising loss to Torino the previous weekend, Roma faced a daunting task: Putting that upset behind them while preparing to face Lazio as the away team in the Derby della Capitale. What the derby lacked in excitement, it made up for in sentimentality, as the increasingly criticized Lorenzo Pellegrini, a native Roman and former club captain, scored the match-winning goal in what many (including us) believed
would be his final derby.
But a funny thing happened on the way to Nice. In Roma’s midweek Europa League opener, Pellegrini turned in a sensational 45-minute second-half cameo, reeling off two shots on goal and assisting Evan Ndicka’s 52nd-minute goal. And thanks to that performance, our dear old Larry Pilgrims gets the starting nod against the Mastiffs of Verona.
