Roma must immediately forget their early exit from the Champions League if they are to find success this season in Serie A, according to coach Rudi Garcia.
The Italians lost 2-0 to Manchester City on Wednesday and crashed out of the competition in the group stages and will have to settle for Europa League football in the new year.
“We have to dive back into Serie A and have a great tournament,” Garcia told reporters yesterday.
“In order to return to the Champions League next season, we must do well in Serie A.
“We have two games before the Christmas break and will then start to think about the Europa League, which is a high level competition.”
Roma, who were held to a 2-2 draw by Sassuolo last weekend, are second in Serie A, three points adrift of league leaders Juventus.
The Giallorossi travel to the Marassi stadium tomorrow to face a Genoa side that is in the midst of a nine-match unbeaten run in the league.
Genoa beat Milan 1-0 last time out to climb to third.
Juve, meanwhile, go into tomorrow’s home game against Sampdoria as the only Italian team alive in the Champions League after holding Atletico Madrid to a goalless draw in Turin in midweek.
The Bianconeri have won all six of their home games and take on fourth-place Sampdoria, who are unbeaten since October 29.
Napoli have drawn their last three league games and are one place and one point behind Samp.
They head into tomorrow’s match at Milan on the back of Thursday’s 3-0 triumph over Slovan Bratislava, a result that saw them progress to the last 32 of the Europa League as Group I winners.
Fiorentina will also play Europa League football next year despite Thursday’s 2-1 home defeat to Dinamo Minsk, their first loss in the competition.
The Viola take on Cesena at the Dino Manuzzi stadium this weekend.
Inter go into Monday’s match at Chievo still unbeaten in the Europa League after Thursday’s goalless draw at FC Qarabag.
The Nerazzurri, however, have yet to find their feet in Serie A and are 12th in the standings with just four wins from 14 games.
Lazio have collected seven points of a possible nine in their last three games to climb to sixth place. The Biancoceleste host Atalanta today.
Torino coach Giampiero Ventura will be hoping his team’s 5-1 triumph at Copenhagen in midweek will spark his team domestically.
The Maroons, who progressed to the knockout round of the Europa League, have not won in Serie A since October 29 and are 17th in the standings.
A defeat at Empoli on Monday could see Torino drop into the relegation zone.
Palermo and Sassuolo square off in Sicily this evening with both sides looking to extend their positive run.
Sassuolo, who are 10th in the standings, one point and one place clear of Palermo, are unbeaten in their last eight league matches.
Palermo have not lost in their last six league games.
Verona lock horns with Udinese in Friuli desperate to halt a three-match losing streak and bottom-side Parma host Cagliari looking to leave a difficult week behind them.
The Gialloblu were deducted a point by the Italian Football Federation as punishment for the club’s financial irregularities.
Parma announced this week they had sold the majority shares of the club to an unnamed buyer.
Fixtures
Serie A
Playing today
Palermo vs Sassuolo - 18.00
Lazio vs Atalanta - 20.45
Tomorrow
Cesena vs Fiorentina - 18.00
Genoa vs Roma - 15.00
Juventus vs Sampdoria - 12.30
Milan vs Napoli - 20.45
Parma vs Cagliari - 15.00
Udinese vs Verona - 15.00
Monday
Empoli vs Torino - 19.00
Chievo vs Inter - 21.00
Standings: Juventus 35; Roma 32; Genoa 26; Sampdoria 25; Napoli 24; Lazio 23; Milan, Udinese 21; Fioren-tina 20; Sassuolo 19; Palermo 18; Inter 17; Empoli 15; Atalanta, Verona 14; Chievo, Torino 13; Cagliari 11; Cesena 8; Parma (-1) 5.
Serie B
Played yesterday
Trapani vs Perugia 2-2
Today – 15.00
Bologna vs Frosinone
Brescia vs Spezia
Carpi vs Modena
Cittadella vs Bari
Crotone vs Pro Vercelli
Entella vs Vicenza
Livorno vs Catania
Pescara vs Avellino
Ternana vs Lanciano
Monday
Latina vs Varese 20.30
Leading standings: Carpi 33; Frosinone 29; Bologna, Trapani 27; Livorno, Spezia 26; Lanciano, Avellino 25.