As we enter the decisive final stretch of the 2025/26 Serie A campaign, the trip to the Ennio Tardini on Matchday 36 represents a defining moment for Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma. With only three matches remaining, the Giallorossi are locked in a ferocious battle with Juventus and AC Milan for the final Champions League qualification spots.

Serie A Standings (Top 6) – May 10, 2026

The Parma Defensive Display: Carlos Cuesta’s “Risky” Resilience

Parma enter this fixture in a comfortable 13th position with 42 points, having already secured their Serie A survival. Under the guidance of 30-year-old manager Carlos Cuesta, who took over in 2025, the Crociati have developed a reputation for being a technically proficient, albeit occasionally “risky,” side.

Defensive Structure:
Cuesta typically employs a flexible 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 that prioritizes ball retention and high full-back involvement. However, in matches against elite opposition, he has shown a tendency to drop into a compact 4-4-2 mid-block.

• Key Personnel: Captain Enrico Del Prato provides the veteran leadership at the back, while Japanese international Zion Suzuki has been one of the league’s top shot-stoppers this season.
• Tactical Vulnerability: Because Parma have nothing left to play for except pride, they may commit more bodies forward than usual. Roma must exploit the space left behind by Emanuele Valeri and Del Prato when they join the attack.

Roma’s Tactical Blueprint for an Away Win

Despite the season-ending injury to Artem Dovbyk (thigh ligament surgery), Gasperini has successfully adapted his trademark “Gasp-ball” to the capital. The focus has shifted from a traditional target man to a more fluid, interchangeable frontline.

1. The Creative Engine: Soulé and Dybala

With Dovbyk sidelined, Matías Soulé has emerged as Roma’s most vital asset. Thriving under Gasperini’s tutelage, the Argentine has recorded 15 goal contributions this term.

• Strategy: Soulé and Paulo Dybala will likely start as dual “number 10s” behind Donyell Malen (on loan from Aston Villa). Their objective is to overload Parma’s double pivot—expected to be Mandela Keita and Adrián Bernabé—forcing Parma’s center-backs out of position.

2. High-Octane Wing-Back Pressure

Gasperini will look to dominate the flanks. Angelino and Zeki Celik (who is pushing for a contract extension) will be tasked with pinning back Parma’s dangerous wingers, Dennis Man and Gaetano Oristanio. If Roma can force Parma’s wingers into defensive duties, they neutralize the hosts’ counter-attacking threat.

3. The “Pisilli” Factor

The emergence of Niccolò Pisilli as a box-to-box engine has given Roma the physical edge they lacked in previous seasons. Pisilli’s ability to make late runs into the box will be the primary weapon against a Parma defense that occasionally struggles with vertical movement through the central channels.

Personnel Update & Status Check

• Tammy Abraham: Currently at Aston Villa. He is no longer a Roma player, having rejoined the Premier League side permanently in January 2026 after a brief stint at Be?ikta?.
• Artem Dovbyk: Out for the season.
• Matías Soulé: Starting; subject of intense transfer interest from Aston Villa and Bournemouth for the summer.
• Managerial Battle: Gasperini’s experience vs. Cuesta’s youthful tactical ambition.

Final Verdict: Ambition vs. Comfort

Roma’s desperation for Champions League revenue and prestige should provide the necessary edge. While Parma are safe and play without pressure, Gasperini’s man-marking system is designed to suffocate teams that lack a specific competitive objective. Expect Roma to start with high intensity, looking to kill the game in the first 45 minutes through Soulé’s individual brilliance.

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