Roma warmed up for next week’s Champions League clash with Liverpool by easing past SPAL 3-0 yesterday to keep their push for elite European football next season on track. Eusebio Di Francesco’s side have 67 points from 34 games — three ahead of city rivals Lazio who can pull level again when they host Sampdoria today.
A Francesco Vicari own goal gave the Romans a first-half lead in Ferrara with Radja Nainggolan and Patrik Schick adding two more in an eight-minute spell in the second half. SPAL fell to their first defeat in nine games leaving their top-flight survival increasingly in doubt as they sit just one point above the relegation zone.
Di Francesco rotated his side ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final at Anfield with Argentinian left-back Jonathan Silva getting his first start since his January signing. Roma’s top scorer Edin Dzeko stayed on the bench alongside captain Daniele De Rossi with the visitors missing three chances in the first half — Stephan El Shaarawy misfiring twice and Lorenzo Pellegrini also missing a third opportunity.
Pellegrini contributed to the opener, crossing a low ball into the area as Vicari turned into his own net when trying to anticipate Kevin Strootman in a scramble in front of goal. Nainggolan — wearing the captain’s armband — sent a diagonal half-volley into the bottom corner, with Pellegrini setting up Schick to head in the third on the hour mark. It was the first goal for Czech forward Schick since he joined Roma on loan from Sampdoria last August.
Fiorentina’s Europa League push took a knock with a second consecutive defeat, falling 1-0 at Sassuolo, who took a big step to ensuring their top flight survival. The Tuscans three-point deficit on AC Milan in the sixth and final Europa League spot could be extended with Milan playing Benevento late last night.
Champions Juventus and second-placed Napoli go head-to-head today in a clash which could decide the Serie A title. Napoli have reduced the deficit to four points on Juventus with five games to play. But history does not favour Maurizio Sarri’s side who have always lost in the Allianz Stadium.

Italian Serie A results
SPAL 0 AS Roma 3 (Vicari 33-og, Nainggolan 52, Schick 60)
Sassuolo 1 (Politano 41) Fiorentina 0
Today: Cagliari v Bologna (1030 GMT), Atalanta v Torino, Chievo v Inter Milan, Lazio v Sampdoria, Udinese v Crotone (all 1300 GMT), Juventus v Napoli (1845 GMT)
Tomorrow: Genoa v Verona (1845 GMT)