Rome Derby: Nigeria-born 'gladiator' hopes to down former coach

Fans of AS Roma will be praying Nigeria born England striker Tammy Abraham lives up to his new nickname when the battle commences at the Stadio Olimpico in the Roma derby on Sunday.

'Tre Punti Tammy'- or Tammy Three Points – is the new chant of the Curva Sud and it will be ringing around the magnificent coliseum in the Italian capital when the Giallorossi meet Lazio again, in one of the fiercest rivalries in football.

Abraham bravely left his boyhood club, Chelsea, and signed for Roma in a deal worth £35 million in August, last year.

It was a journey into the unknown, but one Abraham felt he had to make after his opportunities dried up at Stamford Bridge under new manager, Thomas Tuchel.

Under former Blues boss Jose Mourinho, Abraham has embraced Rome, and AS Roma, while the city and club have both returned the compliment in what is turning into a heart-warming love affair.

The striker is winning matches. He is on the cusp of a record-breaking season, with 21 goals in 39 games.

His 90th-minute tap in against Vitesse to send Roma through to the quarter-final of the Europa Conference League on Thursday put him level with club legends, Vincenzo Montella, and, Gabriel Batistuta, for the most goals in a debut season.

Boys Roma, the club's Ultras, are desperate for the record to fall this weekend. If it does, and Roma avenge the painful 3-2 defeat inflicted upon them by the Biancocelesti in September, Abraham's star will rise even higher.

In Rome, the Derby della Capitale is ranked above the Scudetto – the league title – or even European success for many fans. These are the games that matter.

But the fact is, the Romanisti have already taken the boy from Peckham firmly to their hearts.

'This club is your home,' wrote one Giallorosso on Twitter after Abraham scored against Atalanta in a 1-0 win. He was speaking for the fan base.

'I've always liked Abraham,' said Montella, who played for Roma for 10 years scoring 83 Serie A goals in 192 games, including four against Lazio.

Mourinho has begun the mind games ahead of Roma's derby clash with Lazio on Sunday, taking digs at their manager Maurizio Sarri.

The Portuguese was speaking in the aftermath of Roma's 1-1 draw with Vitesse in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night. The result saw Mourinho's men go through to the quarter-finals 2-1 on aggregate.

In typical Mourinho fashion, the 59-year-old managed to both have a moan about the congested fixture schedule and insult his fierce Derby della Capitale rivals in the same sentence.

Roma are seventh in Serie A, just one point behind Lazio in fifth. Ahead of such a huge game, the Special One could not resist reminding Sarri, known for his smoking habit, and his team that the Giallorossi are still playing European football, while Lazio are not.

Mourinho said: 'Obviously, I am not happy that we played today with many players who will also have to be there on Sunday, while tonight Lazio are home smoking cigarettes with Sarri, but it's because Vitesse are really good!'

'I think his biggest qualities are the level of aggressiveness that he shows on the pitch and the spirit of self-sacrifice for the good of the team.'

'He knows how to attack the depth and has an incredible instinct for scoring goals.'