The Serie A Top 4 Race: Como and Roma Raising the White Flag?

Not only has the Scudetto race quickly cooled off, but even the battle for Champions League spots has failed to maintain the expected drama, as both Como and Roma appear lacking in strength and fortitude to continue the chase.

The biggest disappointment is Como, the team that won five consecutive matches from February 21 to March 22, unexpectedly breaking into the Top 4 ahead of the eager giants Juventus, Roma, and Atalanta. However, since that historic event, Coach Cesc Fabregas and his squad have lost their way. They drew helplessly 0-0 with Udinese, lost 4-3 to Inter despite leading 2-0, and last Friday suffered a 1-2 defeat at Sassuolo. Despite controlling 70% of possession, Como no longer attacks effectively as they did for most of this season. Their expected goals (xG) were only 0.59 from 12 shots, while Cagliari achieved 1.38 with one fewer shot.

Although Fabregas never spoke about Champions League ambitions, and everyone saw Como's success this season built on a relaxed mindset, clearly, being in the Top 4 and being mentioned daily with high expectations has subjected them to immense pressure and exposed limitations—completely understandable for a squad lacking experience and resilience. This is also the time when some players began to waver due to transfer rumors, an inevitable consequence after performing well and attracting attention from bigger clubs.

For Roma, the constant feeling across seasons is that they are unable to match their ambitions, truly lacking the power to surpass their own limits. It is highly likely the capital club will experience its ninth consecutive season without tasting Champions League football, despite briefly holding a spot this season. By allowing Atalanta a 1-1 draw despite firing 19 shots (9 on target), Roma missed a huge opportunity to at least overtake Como. Currently, both teams have only 58 points, still at least 2 points behind the Top 4 before Juventus play in round 33. If Juve defeats Bologna in the early morning match today, that gap will widen to 5 points, making the task much harder for both Como and Roma.

Roma's biggest issue currently might be their reliance on Donyell Malen, the striker who has scored 10 goals in 12 matches since joining on loan from Aston Villa in early 2026. Almost every play is directed toward Malen, but on a brilliant day, Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi denied all the Dutch forward's chances, extinguishing Roma's hope for three points.