Roma scored in the opening minute and continued to shock Atalanta in Bergamo, emerging 4-1 winners with a Tammy Abraham brace, Chris Smalling and the first Nicolò Zaniolo goal since July 2020.
La Dea were seeking a sixth consecutive Serie A victory to consolidate and even improve their third-place status, with only Robin Gosens injured. The Giallorossi welcomed back Nicolò Zaniolo and Gianluca Mancini from suspension, but Felix Afena-Gyan sat out a ban with Lorenzo Pellegrini, Leonardo Spinazzola, Stephan El Shaarawy and Carles Perez injured.
Atalanta were meant to be wearing a special edition Christmas shirt, but it was scrapped after protests the skyline was Turin rather than Bergamo.
It took under 60 seconds to break the deadlock, as Tammy Abraham shrugged off Berat Djimsiti and saw his finish deflected off Marten de Roon during a desperate last-ditch attempt at an interception.
This was a very ill-tempered game with two bookings in the opening nine minutes, but Rui Patricio flew to palm a Djimsiti scorcher out from under the crossbar.
Roma doubled their lead with another classic counter, as Zaniolo started the move with a cheeky back-heel flick, got it back from Jordan Veretout and scored at the back post. It was the Italy international’s first Serie A goal since July 2020.
Rui Patricio had his gloves stung by Rafael Toloi from close range and Gasperini made a radical shift, replacing defender Djimsiti with striker Luis Muriel, moving Marten de Roon into defence.
It paid off, because Muriel’s powerful effort from distance took a massive deflection off Bryan Cristante to wrong-foot Rui Patricio and get Atalanta back into the game. It would’ve been a record of Serie A goals scored off the bench for Muriel, but the Lega assigned it as a Cristante own goal instead.
Ruslan Malinovskyi came on for the second half and his free kick tested Rui Patricio immediately, while Muriel couldn’t quite get to Giuseppe Pezzella’s cross.
Duvan Zapata did get the ball in the net with a header from point-blank range on the corner, but it was disallowed for Jose Luis Palomino’s offside position.
Moments later, Roma instead went 3-1 up, as Jordan Veretout’s free kick was whipped to the back post for Chris Smalling to volley in.
There was even a fourth as Abraham completed his brace, Veretout’s effort deflected into the path of the England striker, who surprised Juan Musso from a tricky angle by blasting into the far top corner from 10 yards.
Malinovskyi again threatened, his scorcher skimming the crossbar with Rui Patricio beaten, and the goalkeeper smothering at Duvan Zapata’s feet.
Atalanta 1-4 Roma
Abraham 1, 82 (R), Zaniolo 27 (R), Cristante og 44 (A), Smalling 72 (R)