The race for the Top 4 in Serie A: Roma continues to miss out on Champions League qualification?

The last time Roma participated in the Champions League was in the 2018-19 season, which is eight years ago. The next time? It likely won't be next season, as they are losing their opportunity after three consecutive poor results.

After round 26, Roma proudly stood in 4th place and had a 4-point lead over Juventus behind them. However, they were held to a 3-3 draw by Juve in a crucial head-to-head match, then lost two consecutive away games 1-2 to Genoa and Como, with the match against Como also being decisive as they directly competed for the 4th position. The result: Only earning 1 point from the last three matches, Roma dropped to 6th place and are now 3 points behind Como and 2 points behind Juventus. Considering additional metrics, Roma falls short compared to both of these rivals and would rank lower even if points were equal. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini and his team no longer have any control over their fate.

At Como's stadium, Roma opened the scoring early thanks to a successful penalty by Donyell Malen, their sole reliable figure at this moment, but still lost due to insufficient strength. Gasperini was missing all key attacking players, from Paulo Dybala, Matias Soule to Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson, all due to injuries. Throughout the match, Roma only managed three shots, and Malen's penalty was the only successful attempt. Despite fighting valiantly, their loss to Como was almost inevitable.

The injury crisis is a nightmare burying Roma's efforts this season, but the fact of losing and drawing in major matches is what costs Roma the chance to possibly continue missing the Champions League. Except for Lazio, Roma has lost at least one match to every team in last season's Top 8 and hasn't won any. The bitter truth is they played well in many of those matches, deserved to win, but were helpless because they couldn't score. The worry persists: From now until the end of the season, they still have to face Inter, Atalanta, and rival Lazio, who will certainly have a more relaxed mindset in the rematch.

The Top 4 race promises to remain tense and exciting in the remaining final stretch. Como holds an advantage in both points and soaring morale, but both Juventus and Roma possess the resilience and experience of their seasoned leaders Luciano Spalletti and Gian Piero Gasperini, who know how to navigate through difficulties.