Stuttering Roma travels to AC Milan without Mourinho and possibly Dybala

MILAN (AP) — Stuttering Roma could be without two key figures when it makes the trip north to face AC Milan in Serie A on Sunday.

Coach José Mourinho is suspended for the third time this season after he was sent off at the end of last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Atalanta. Coincidentally, the former Inter Milan coach also missed Roma’s other trip to San Siro — the stadium he used to call home — as he was banned from the match at Inter in October.

Without its enigmatic coach on the bench, Roma will be hoping key forward Paulo Dybala recovers in time for the game.

Dybala limped off at the end of the first half of Wednesday’s Italian Cup quarterfinal at city rival Lazio and had to be substituted at the break after yet another flareup of a long-standing muscular issue. Roma went on to lose 1-0, conceding the decisive goal through a penalty six minutes after the interval.

“It was a difficult halftime for us, because losing Paulo is a lot for us,” Mourinho said. “I immediately felt in that dressing room that losing Paulo wasn’t just losing an important player, but also losing our spirit, our confidence.”

Dybala has already had three separate injury layoffs this season, missing a total of seven matches. The first game he was sidelined for was the home match against Milan in September and Roma lost 2-1.

“It’s his usual muscle problem,” Mourinho said. “He played about 80 minutes of a very physical match two days ago. It’s difficult for Paulo to recover in two days. He wanted to play this game and we needed everyone to give their all.

“When Paulo’s problem flares up, it changes everything for him … These are the difficulties we have. I’m a little disappointed with some of the players individually because we should do better.”

Wednesday’s loss was Roma’s third in six matches in all competition. It has also won only once in the league in the past month and that has seen it slip to eighth in Serie A, four points below fourth-placed Fiorentina.

However, Roma has faced four of the top six sides in that period of five league matches. Its solitary win came against defending champion Napoli, which is currently ninth.

Roma faces another top side on Sunday, with Milan third in Serie A.

“On an individual level, I may not be completely satisfied with some of the players but as a team the lads are giving everything they have in what is a really rough time for us,” Mourinho said.

Milan was also eliminated from the Italian Cup on Wednesday. But that was its first loss in seven matches.

The Rossoneri had won five of those games as Stefano Pioli’s side recovered from its own difficult period that appeared to even put the coach’s job at risk.

“There’s only one option: we go again with determination and turn this disappointment into strength, energy and competitive instinct,” Pioli said. “This will allow us to get back to winning ways in the league against Roma on Sunday. We’re still in two competitions.

“We’re getting back to form in Serie A, which absolutely needs to continue, then we’ll focus on the Europa League after.”

Milan desperately needs a win on Sunday to maintain its slim title chances. It is seven points behind Juventus and nine below Serie A leader and city rival Inter.

Inter visits Monza on Saturday and Juventus hosts Sassuolo on Tuesday.

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