Carnesecchi Stands Tall, Roma Rue Missed Chances in 1-1 Draw

ROME, ITALY - APRIL 18: Marco Carnesecchi of Atalanta in action during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Atalanta BC at Stadio Olimpico on April 18, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Image Photo Agency/Getty Images) | Getty Images Engulfed by their usual storms of injuries and off-the-pitch drama, Roma welcomed Atalanta to the Stadio Olimpico today for a critical Round 33 fixture. To be fair, nearly every match over the past three months has been critical for the Giallorossi.

With no room for error in their desperate chase for a spot in next season’s Champions League, nothing was bound to be easy—and today’s match was no different. With his club beset by injuries, Gian Piero Gasperini had to dig deep into his pockets to cobble together a coherent starting lineup. With Lorenzo Pellegrini and Wesley out with injury, and stalwart center-back Gianluca Mancini playing at less than 100%, Gasp gave rare starts to Stephan El Shaarawy, Neil El Aynaoui, and Devyne Rensch.

Making matters worse, Raffaele Palladino’s side, who are in the thick of their own European chase, was nearly at full strength, boasting most of their nominal starters. In the early stages of the match, Roma seemed poised to keep Atalanta in check, or at least draw out the string and set up a tense finish, but Marten de Roon and Nikola Krstovic killed that idea in the 12th minute. Nikola Krstovic with a STRIKE ⚡️😤 pic.

twitter. com/vDGQaBUasq — CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) April 18, 2026 After forcing Roma into a turnover in the build-up, de Roon tore open what remained of Roma’s back line in the blink of an eye, playing Krstovic into the box with a well-timed ball to the edge of the box. After a subtle touch, Krstovic beat Mile Svilar at the far post, erasing any hope of an easy evening at the Olimpico.