Opinion: Tammy Abraham and AS Roma is Europe’s greatest love affair this season in a remarkable campaign

If you have Francesco Totti on his feet you must have done something pretty good. But as Tammy Abraham wheeled away, having volleyed his team into a 2-0 lead, the smile on the face of the King of Rome was as big as the Olimpico. Ad/> In a first-half blitz Roma blew Lazio away, led by Abraham and the masterful Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose stunning free-kick left Totti grinning from ear to ear.

Europa LeagueEL/ECL round-up: Abraham grabs Roma late win, Rangers into Europa quarters17/03/2022 AT 23:04 /> After his two goals (the first a textbook lesson in the importance of being in the right place at the right time for strikers) Abraham now has 23 goals in his first season in Rome. It is the most a Roma player has ever scored in his first season for the club, beating out Gabriel Batistuta and Vincenzo Montella who both scored 21. He is the third-highest scorer in Serie A with 15 goals (behind Ciro Immobile and Dusan Vlahovic, who both have 21) and he is the top scoring Englishman across Europe’s top five leagues.

But it’s about more than the goals. It’s about the relationship he has built up with the Roma fans. Just look at this.

/> You could see it at various stages during the game his role in getting the crowd growing. In the 15th minute Lazio’s Felipe Anderson tried to break down their right flank, but Abraham chased him back to near the half-way line, nipped in, took the ball and then drew the foul. The crowd roared their approval and Abraham got up and celebrated winning the foul, urging the crowd on.

A little over 10 minutes later, full-back Rick Karsdorp burst forward and won a free-kick wide on the right. Abraham celebrated that and went over to Karsdorp, giving the Dutchman a huge high five as he got up. In the