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Record breaking Roma playing second fiddle to Juventus

AS Roma's Radja Nainggolan (2nd L) celebrates with his teammates Miralem Pjanic (L), Adem Ljajic and Dodo (R) after scoring against Fiorentina during their Italian Serie A soccer match at Artemio Franchi stadium in Florence April 19, 2014. REUTERS/Giampiero Sposito (Reuters)

By Terry Daley ROME (Reuters) - AS Roma confirmed their astonishing revival this season by winning 1-0 at Fiorentina and securing second spot in Serie A and a place in the Champions League group stage on Saturday. Despite their record-breaking season Rudi Garcia's side have had to play second fiddle to an all-conquering Juventus team on the verge of their third consecutive league title. Roma's win in Florence, which was decided by Radja Nianggolan's neat 26th minute finish, was their 25th of the season, beating a club record set by Luciano Spalletti in 2008 when they were challenging Inter Milan for the title. That season they finished on a club record 82 points but fell three points short on the final day. Garcia's Roma are already on the same points total with four games left to play. "It has been an extraordinary season, but we can still make it an exceptional one," said Garcia. "Anything that comes now is a bonus." Roma, however, are still eight points behind relentless Juve, who beat Bologna 1-0 and are looking to become the first Serie A side to break the 100-point barrier as they march towards a 30th scudetto. The addition of Carlos Tevez and Fernando Llorente in the off season strengthened an already dominant Juventus, with the pair combining to score 32 goals and add a directness that their front line had lacked in previous seasons under Antonio Conte. "This season we have something more in terms of attack than in previous years," Conte said after Saturday's win. "It took time for Fernando Llorente to settle in and he brought a new dimension along with Carlos Tevez. Now we have two strikers who have scored in double figures." RECORD BROKEN Fittingly Spalletti was at the Artemio Franchi Stadium to see his record broken. His tenure at the club ended like they tend to at Roma, with their petulant fans booing their own team and haranguing the players at their Trigoria training ground. Claudio Ranieri took over from Spalletti, with the team and club in turmoil, but he exuded confidence from the start and won the fans over. Ranieri went even closer to the title, once again missing out on the last day to treble-winning Inter, who were then managed by Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho. Garcia's initiation began in similar circumstances and the Frenchman looks determined to go one further, ready to bring the club on-field success to match its off-field financial backing and appears to be dreaming of an impossible comeback. "There are four games to go and we are sure of a place in the Champions League," Garcia added. "We will prepare for the game with Milan at a packed Stadio Olimpico and are still hungry for success. "We will enjoy this victory, we have 82 points and both the team and coach want more. That's all that counts." (This story has been refiled to delete incorrect reference to Ranieri winning first 10 league games at club in paragraph 10) (Editing by Greg Stutchbury)