Roma drop points against Chievo, lose further ground on Juventus

Mario Carlini / Iguana Press/Getty Images

---

An eighth draw in nine Serie A matches saw Roma lose further ground in the title race but this stalemate at Chievo will be remembered for the horrific injury suffered by Federico Mattiello.

The Giallorossi were unable to break the Flying Donkeys down at the Stadio Marc'Antonio Bentegodi and therefore sit eight points behind leaders Juventus, who play at home on Monday evening.

It was difficult for both sides to focus from 20 minutes onwards, however, after players witnessed young Chievo midfielder Mattiello suffer what appeared to be a gruesome lower leg break.

The point boosted the hosts six clear of the drop zone but they have failed to score in three games.

If Roma were to revive their title bid they needed to recapture the goalscoring form of the autumn and they looked keen in the early exchanges.

Gervinho's daisy-cutting pass found Juan Iturbe in the fifth minute but the Argentinian could only blast over the bar from the middle of the box.

Chievo bit back through Alberto Paloschi, who got the better of goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis but not the post, and Francesco Totti responded with a shot on the volley that Albano Bizzarri parried.

The 16th minute brought a sickening incident that took the fizz out of the first half and could still threaten to end a player's career.

Radja Nainggolan's tackle was a well-intentioned one but the way Mattiello connected with the Belgian resulted in a snapped shin which was clearly visible to all at the Bentegodi.

Clearly unable to stand, the stricken Mattiello was carried off on a stretcher to great applause from all in attendance. Valter Birsa took his place.

It was not until the 42nd minute that Gervinho carved out another chance, his low stab at Iturbe's assist whizzing just past a post, and Paloschi missed the mark at the other end before half-time.

Roma looked more focused when play resumed and Leandro Paredes almost bettered Bizzarri with a first-time effort on Totti's through ball.

Ervin Zukanovic then found Birsa running into space only for the Slovenian to clip wide and, in the 75th minute, Riccardo Meggiorini forced De Sanctis into a nervous parry.

Neither team seemed keen to risk conceding a share of the points as time ticked away, and Meggiorini's wayward attempt on 85 minutes was the last of the meagre action in the final third.