Jordan Veretout converted two somewhat contentious penalties to give Roma victory against his old club Fiorentina.
The Giallorossi wanted to consolidate fifth place and had Chris Smalling back in the starting XI, but Cengiz Under, Roger Ibanez, Antonio Mirante and Davide Santon injured. Gaetano Castrovilli was suspended for the Viola, with Pietro Terracciano again standing in for injured Bartlomiej Dragowski.
Roma were wearing their new 2020-21 home kits, with red and yellow stripes across the chest and old-school wolf logo.
Terracciano got down to beat away a Lorenzo Pellegrini strike from outside the box and Gianluca Mancini ballooned over from an Edin Dzeko knock-down.
Bruno Peres ran on to another Dzeko assist and Pol Lirola was late, catching the Brazilian for a penalty. Veretout converted against his old club, beating Terracciano to put Roma in front on the stroke of half-time.
Fiorentina fought back and almost equalised immediately, an Erick Pulgar free kick floated to the back post for the German Pezzella volley that smacked against the upright.
Roma thought they had doubled their lead with the last kick of the half, but Mancini was offside when nodding in the Aleksandar Kolarov free kick.
Beppe Iachini made a surprise double change at the break, introducing Dusan Vlahovic and Patrick Cutrone for Franck Ribery and Christian Kouame.
It paid off, as after an initial fright with Spinazzola and Mkhitaryan going close, the Viola equalised.
A corner found Nikola Milenkovic for the looping header into the far top corner, leaving Pau Lopez no chance.
It was wide open in this second half, but Pellegrini had to come off after seemingly breaking his nose in a collision with Milenkovic, making way for Nicolo Zaniolo.
Mkhitaryan’s strike bounced off the far post after a Spinazzola assist, then penalty appeals were waved away for Martin Caceres handball, as it was outside the area when charging down Dzeko’s rocket.
Zaniolo’s scorcher was fingertipped inches over the bar, but Roma were awarded another penalty and a very dubious one indeed. Kolarov’s angled drive bounced off the inside of the far post and Terracciano connected with Dzeko on the rebound. There seemed to be very little in it at all, but the referee was adamant and Veretout converted again.
