As Roma push hard for a Champions League spot, all eyes turn to Sunday’s crucial Serie A clash at the Stadio Ennio Tardini, where they face a resilient Parma side. For Gian Piero Gasperini’s men, there’s simply no room for error in Emilia-Romagna if they want to stay in the thick of the top-four race.

Parma, meanwhile, are enjoying a solid mid-table campaign. Despite a 2-0 loss to newly crowned champions Inter last weekend, the Crusaders have long banished any relegation fears. A top-half finish might be a stretch—they trail 10th-placed Bologna by seven points—but finishing as high as 11th would be their best result since the 2019/20 season.

Home form, however, could be a mixed bag for Parma. They’ve gone winless in three of their last four league matches at the Ennio Tardini (one win, two draws, one loss). Still, a hard-fought 1-1 draw against runners-up Napoli shows they can trouble even the best. That resilience could make life difficult for Roma, who are desperate to close the three-point gap to fourth-placed Milan.

With Juventus edging out a 1-0 win at Lecce yesterday, the pressure is on Gasperini’s squad to keep their momentum alive. Roma have won three of their last four Serie A matches (one draw), including a dominant 4-0 thrashing of Fiorentina on Monday. That form bodes well as they chase their second straight league double over Parma.

History, though, offers some hope for the hosts. Roma won 2-1 in the reverse fixture at the Stadio Olimpico in October, extending Parma’s losing streak against them to three matches. But the Crusaders have won two of their last three home meetings with the Giallorossi—as many victories as they managed in the previous 12 such encounters (one draw, nine losses).

Parma boss Carlos Cuesta has found it tough against Serie A’s elite this season. His side are winless in all nine home matches against teams starting the round above them in the table (four draws, five losses). Yet, there’s a silver lining: each of those four draws came against sides in the top seven, including Roma. So while the odds may be stacked against them, Parma have proven they can dig in and frustrate the best.