AS Roma will welcome Real Betis to Stadio Olimpico this Thursday as both teams battle for supremacy in their UEFA Europa League group.
Venue: Stadio Olimpico (Rome)
Key Statistics
AS Roma are currently unbeaten in their last 20 home matches in European competitions (W14, D6 – including qualifiers).
The hosts have scored each of their four UEL goals this season after the break.
They have kept three clean sheets in four home games this season (W3, L1).
Real Betis have kept three clean sheets in nine games this season.
The visitors have a respectful UEL away record in the group stages (W4, D3, L3).
Roma’s Paulo Dybala has scored Roma‘s first goal in each of his last three appearances, with four of his five strikes for his new team coming before the break.
Betis forward Borja Iglesias has scored four of his six goals this term before the 35th minute.
Head to head
This is the first official meeting between both teams.
Latest performances in all competitions
AS Roma: W-L-W-W-L
Real Betis: L-W-W-W-W
AS Roma
AS Roma will look to record their second win of the Europa League season when they welcome Real Betis to Rome this Thursday.
The hosts opened their UEL account with a disappointing 2-1 loss away to Ludogorets. But they have since bounced back, winning HJK 3-0 in their last European outing.
The win against HJK was part of their run of three wins in their last four outings in both Serie A and the Europa League. The last of those wins came in an impressive comeback win over Scudetto hopefuls, Inter Milan, at the San Siro.
Despite not having their coach on the touchline as Jose Mourinho picked up a touchline ban in his side’s 1-0 loss to Atalanta just before the international break, Roma produced an energetic display at the San Siro and took home maximum points courtesy of goals from Paulo Dybala and Chris Smalling to beat Inter 2-1.
They will now return to an already sold out Stadio Olimpico where they will be cheered by over 60 thousand spectators attending a home game for the tenth consecutive competitive fixture. Roma have enjoyed the comforts of their home ground in European competition and come into this tie unbeaten in their last 20 home matches (W14, D6—including qualifiers) in Europe.
Such a record will give them the needed belief that they can take maximum points from this game and go level with Betis at the top of the table.
Possible AS Roma starting line-up
Rui Patricio; Gianluca Mancini, Chris Smalling, Roger Ibanez; Zeki Celik, Bryan Cristante, Nemanja Matić, Leonardo Spinazzola; Paulo Dybala, Lorenzo Pellegrini; Tammy Abraham
Injured: Georginio Wijnaldum, Ebrima Darboe, Rick Karsdorp
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Real Betis
Real Betis impressive start to the La Liga season took another big hit on Sunday as they suffered a narrow 1-0 loss to Celta Vigo.
The visitors have been one of the best teams in Spain these past few months but could not add to their tally of five wins this season. They remain inside the top four of Spain’s top flight but will hope to get back to winning ways when they travel to Rome.
However, they will have to be careful here as they have suffered both their competitive defeats this season on their road trips. But, they’ll likely draw confidence from a respectful UEL away record in the group stages (W4, D3, L3), although they have never won more than one such match in their previous three UEL campaigns so they will be hoping to improve that record here.
That said, Manuel Pellegrini’s side have maintained a respectable balance between attack and defence in all competitions this season. They have scored 2+ goals in five of their nine games this season, while only Real Madrid and Ludogorets have successfully scored more than one goal past them this term.
Possible Real Betis starting line-up
Rui Silva; Martin Montoya, Luís Filipe, German Pezzella, Alex Moreno; Guido Rodriguez, William Carvalho; Nabil Fekir, Sergio Canales, Luis Henríquez; Borja Iglesias.
Injured: Juanmi Jimenez, Youssouf Sabaly, Victor Camarasa
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Prediction
AS Roma 1-1 Real Betis
