Delicately poised at 0-1 from the first leg, Roma and Feyenoord will go one-on-one at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday at 19:00 GMT to determine who makes it into the semi-final.
With a small 0-1 lead, Feyenoord will focus on retaining or expanding their advantage on Thursday in Italy. They will have to balance defence and attack to contain the danger Roma poses.
Roma have to come out firing on Thursday, given they are already behind from the first leg. However, they will be aware of Feyenoord’s danger in transition attacks.
Key Highlights
Roma’s Form at Home
Jose Mourinho’s men have it all to do at home as they look for a comeback to retain their hopes of winning the Europa League this season.
They will get help from the home support at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome. The atmosphere will be important for the home team as they look to claw their way back into the tie and get the win, they need to progress to the semi-final stage.
Roma will look to transfer their home form, which has seen them climb the table to third, into their Europa League campaign.
Roma’s domestic form bodes well; they have won their last two matches, which have propelled them into third in Serie A and leapfrogged Milan and Inter in the process.
Feyenoord’s Game Management
The Eredivisie league leaders are in bullish form domestically. They have lost just once all season. They have established an 8-point lead at the top of the league, ahead of second-placed Ajax.
Arne Slot and his travel to the Stadio Olimpico on the back of five consecutive Eredivisie wins that have seen them on the cusp of wrapping up the title. However, they will know that Jose Mourinho’s men will not go out without a fight.
With their 0-1 lead, Feyenoord already have a good platform to build on away to Roma. The focus will be to be defensively compact and defend aggressively through pressing and falling back to cover the spaces.
However, Arne Slot will look to maintain the Feyenoord attacking style as they look to not only defend their advantage but add to it. It will be a case of attack is the best defence, without being too open at the back and handing Roma a way back into the game.
Injury Report
Roma
Jose Mourinho will be without several members of his first-team squad ahead of their clash with Feyenoord on Thursday.
Defensive midfielder Ebrima Darboe is sidelined with a cruciate ligament injury requiring surgery. Right-back Rick Karsdorp is also out of consideration with a knee injury. Right winger Ola Solbakken is out with a shoulder injury.
Worryingly for Mourinho, centre-forward Tammy Abraham (shoulder problem) and forward Paolo Dybala (hamstring) are both doubts for the Thursday clash. This will be a blow to Roma.
Feyenoord
Arne Slot will be without central midfielder Quinten Timber (knee), right-back Mimeirhel Benita (knee surgery), and right-winger Patrik Walmark (knock). These are all doubts for the trip to the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday.
Possible Lineups
Roma
R. Patricio; R. Ibanez, C. Smalling, G. Mancini; L. Spinazzola, N. Matic, B. Cristante, N. Zalewski; L. Pellegrini, P. Dybala; T. Abraham
Feyenoord
J. Bijlow; L. Geertruida, G. Traunerm, D. Hancko, Q. Hartman; S. Szymanski, M. Wieffer, O. Kokcu; A. Jahanbakhsh, S. Gimenez, O. Idrissi
Prediction
Roma will be out of their tracks attacking and playing on the front foot as they look to come from behind at home.
Feyenoord will focus on compactness early on before growing into the game and starting to create chances.
Roma will win the match and progress to the semi-finals.
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