AS Roma will welcome Leicester City to Stadio Olimpico this Thursday for the second leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final tie.
Venue: Stadio Olimpico (Rome)
Key Statistics
AS Roma are unbeaten in their last ten home games in all competitions (W6, D4).
The hosts have four clean sheets from their last six home games in all competitions.
The hosts are unbeaten at home across their last two seasons of continental football (W9, D4).
Leicester City have lost all six UEFA trips they’ve played against clubs in Europe’s top-five leagues throughout their history.
The visitors have won just one of their last seven away games in all competitions.
Head to head
Both sides have met just once, which was the first leg that ended 1-1.
Latest performances in all competitions
AS Roma: D-D-L-D-W
Leicester City: L-D-D-D-L
AS Roma
Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma side will look to book their place in the Conference League final when they welcome Leicester City to the eternal city.
The visitors snatched a 1-1 draw in the first leg and so will be coming into this encounter, confident of getting the result that will take them to their first UEFA competition final since the 1990/91 UEFA Cup.
However, they come into this tie on the back of a disappointing goalless draw with Bologna in the Serie A. The result ended their chances of finishing in the top four this season damaging their Europa League prospects for next season, thereby placing further pressure on Mourinho’s men to qualify via winning the UECL.
While the draw also extended their winless run in all competitions to four games, it also ensured that the hosts’ are unbeaten at home in their last ten games.
And so, they will be banking on their home form when they host the Foxes on Thursday. They also possess an impressive unbeaten home record across their last two seasons of continental football (W9, D4).
Possible AS Roma starting line-up
Rui Patricio, Gianluca Mancini, Chris Smalling, Roger Ibanez, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Jordan Veretout, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Matias Vina, Sergio Oliveira, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Tammy Abraham
Injured: Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Leicester City
Leicester City will travel to Rome looking to get the win that will secure them their first European final in their history.
The Foxes were able to snatch a draw in the first leg thanks to an own goal by Gianluca Mancini in the second half, after Lorenzo Pellegrini had put Roma ahead in the first half.
After the game, Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers stated he and his players have “no fear” as they head to the Stadio Olimpico. And over the weekend, it was clear that the Northern Irishman prioritised this competition after resting several starters in their Premier League defeat at Tottenham (3-1).
After going undefeated against Mourinho in his last two games against “The Special One” having lost five of his first seven clashes with the Portuguese, Rodgers will fancy his side’s chances of getting a good result in this tie.
The visitors beat PSV away from home in the last round after a home draw in the first leg and will be confident of winning back-to-back European away games for the first time in this tournament.
However, they have to be in their best shape to achieve a win here considering that they have lost all six UEFA trips they’ve played against clubs in Europe’s top-five leagues throughout their history, most recently in the Round of 16 vs French side Rennes (L 2-1).
Possible Leicester City starting line-up
Kasper Schmeichel; Ricardo Pereira, Wesley Fofana, Jonny Evans, Timothy Castagne; Youri Tielemans, Boubakary Soumare, Marc Albrighton; Harvey Barnes, Jamie Vardy, Ademola Lookman.
Injured: Ryan Bertrand, Wilfred Ndidi
Doubtful: James Maddison, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Suspended: None
Prediction
AS Roma 2-1 Leicester City
