Roma have reignited their push for a Champions League return, and Sunday's trip to Parma could be another pivotal step in their remarkable resurgence. The capital club's recent form has put both Juventus and AC Milan on notice, as the race for Serie A's top four heats up with just three matches remaining.

Just a month ago, a heavy defeat to newly-crowned champions Inter Milan appeared to spell the end of Roma's European dreams. But football can change quickly, and Roma have responded in stunning fashion. Ten points from their last four matches have propelled them to within one point of fourth-placed Juventus, while third-placed Milan sit just two points further ahead. The gap is closing, and the momentum is shifting.

"We're going well, but we know that we cannot make any mistakes if we're going to have any chance of making the Champions League," said coach Gian Piero Gasperini after last weekend's emphatic win over Fiorentina. "We've got three matches that we have to get right and hope that others don't."

Roma's timing couldn't be better. Gasperini has solidified his position at the helm after a very public dispute with Claudio Ranieri, who was dismissed as senior advisor to the club's American owners two weeks ago. The Friedkin family has placed their faith in Gasperini—a coach popular with fans—to end Roma's seven-year absence from Europe's elite competition. Their last Champions League appearance ended in a last-16 exit to Porto, but that painful memory is now fueling a determined charge.

Meanwhile, Milan's form has fallen off a cliff. Massimiliano Allegri's side has managed just seven points since their derby win over Inter two months ago, a victory that briefly suggested the title race was alive. But Milan have scored only once in five matches and are now nervously looking over their shoulders at Roma, with Como also lurking just three points off the top four. The pressure is mounting, and Roma are ready to pounce.