How Roma Women became champions of Serie A

On Saturday, April 29, AS Roma Women secured the first Serie A title in their history by defeating Fiorentina in a “playoff” fixture fought among the teams at the top half of the league table. It was the Giallrosse’s 10th win in a row, meaning they had not lost a single league fixture in 2023, including all five of their last playoff matches.

Now eight points clear of Juventus following last weekend’s incredible 3-2 win over the Bianconere, Roma are proudly the holders of the Scudetto, breaking up Juve’s monopoly of the most prized title in women’s Italian football.

Juventus had won the league in each of the last five seasons, but, now, Roma are on top. And it is fitting that they have won the title a week after beating the Bianconere, given their only two losses (or draws, for that matter) were to the reigning champions earlier in the season.

Let’s take a look at the Roma squad and how they became the best team in Italy.

A clear identity

Roma have been dominant in the 2022/23 season, taking care of the opponents they are supposed to beat in Serie A, never slipping against challenging sides like Fiorentina, AC Milan, and Inter Milan. After beating Juventus 3-2, they also proved they can elevate their game to match the very best, though work remains to be done at the Champions League level.

There may not be a more exciting team to watch in women’s football than the Giallorosse. They are confident in possession and aggressive on the ball, capable of progressing play via the flanks or through the middle. Roma have great finishers, “chaos agents” who get into the box, playmakers, and ball-carriers who can cover all sorts of ground before whipping the ball into the box.

No team has scored more goals or created more high-quality chances (xG) than Roma in the 2022/23 season. They have created over 150 chances more than Juventus, having over 100 more touches in the opposition box than the second-placed Bianconere. By any measure of the most important statistics in football, Roma have been the best team.

They say defense wins championships, and Roma do have quality defenders, including one of the league’s best overall players in Moeka Minami. But you need to be able to create chances and convert them to win a league over a club like Juventus, especially in difficult matches when the other team sits in a low block (as Sassuolo once did to Juve).

Roma play with courage, team spirit, and a fluid interchange among players in the attacking third. Everyone supports each other and never stops attacking, crowding the box whenever there is a chance in the knowledge that someone is likely to get the end of it. Roma are always hungry for goals.

The right mix of players

It is so important for a team challenging for the title to have the right mix of veteran players who have the experience to challenge a club like, say, Juventus, as well as up-and-coming players who can bring fresh solutions and a sense of energy.

Roma have one of the most decorated strikers of Italian football in Valentina Giacinti, as well as a long-time standout of the women’s game in the underappreciated Andressa. These are established, world-class talents in the attack. Veteran defenders Carina Wenninger, Elena Linari, and captain Elisa Bartoli have solidified the defense with their top-class composure and reading of the game. They add steel to a championship side that needs one.

Meanwhile, 30-year-old Norwegian Emilie Haavi has been a game-changing breakout star. Acquired in 2021/22, Haavi has been a regular starter now in 2022/23 and is showing the quality that made her a Roma signing. Haavi has scored eight goals with six assists, tirelessly taking on defenders and showing versatility by fulfilling a number of roles in midfield and the attack.

As for the young players who are contributing heavily, a few of them are already among the best players in world football. The aforementioned Minami is 24, yet she plays like a 34-year-old center back when it comes to her passing in the build-up play and her defending off the ball.

The 25-year-old Manuela Giugliano is the world’s best playmaker right now, creating chances from absolutely nothing and consistently running the show on the ball. Giugliano makes decisive plays in the final third like nobody else, scoring some of the most beautiful goals you will see.

Then, there is 23-year-old Giada Greggi, who never stops running to win the ball or start attacking opportunities for her teammates. Alongside her, Annamaria Serturini, Benedetta Glionma, and Sophie Haug have been key contributors and look like part of the next generation of greatness for Roma.

It is also important to have prospects with top-class quality who can ensure continued progression and success at the very top of the table. One name to watch closely? 17-year-old Slovenian Zara Kramžar. She could be special.

Final Thoughts

Roma Women only recently debuted as a club in 2018/19, and their current captain, Bartoli, is the only captain they have known thus far. So it is meaningful to see that the capital club have broken up Juve’s dominance at the top, and it is a reminder that with the right ambition, perhaps clubs like Fiorentina, Inter, and Milan can be next.

Over the past several summers, Roma have made the right signings. They have picked out the perfect mix of players with experience who they knew could produce, as well as underrated talents from other leagues who could ascend to stardom. There are Italian footballers and international footballers, with Roma scouting talents within the country and developing youth for the future of the club.

Beating a team like Juve for the title – and doing so with time to spare – takes real skill, especially in a league with a “playoff” round of fixtures where only the best teams compete against each other. Roma did not win the Scudetto by fluke, nor are they a one-hit-wonder. This squad has been built properly and has real staying power.