Roma travel to Rotterdam to face Feyenoord on Thursday evening as they look to progress to the last 16 of the Europa League.
Last Thursday’s first leg fixture at the Stadio Olimpico finished in a 1-1 draw, as Colin Kazim-Richards’ second half goal for the visitors cancelled out Gervinho’s early strike. However, the game was overshadowed by events off the pitch, with 23 Feyenoord fans arrested before the game, as the Dutch supporters also caused permanent damage to Rome’s city centre.
Feyenoord topped Europa League Group G to secure a last 32 spot, finishing ahead of Sevilla, Rijeka and Standard Liege to set up the first ever meeting with the Giallorossi last week.
Rudi Garcia’s team have struggled to recapture their early season form following the winter break, Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Hellas Verona leaves Roma nine points behind Serie A leaders Juventus following seven draws in their last nine league matches.
Roma are also without a European win in six matches, stretching back to September’s 5-1 victory over CSKA Moscow at the Stadio Olimpico.
Fred Rutten’s Feyenoord outfit qualified for the tournament after finishing runners-up to Ajax in last season’s Eredivisie but currently trail PSV Eindhoven by 20 points following two defeats in their last four domestic outings.
Feyenoord’s last win against Italian opposition came against Inter in the 2001/02 UEFA Cup semi-final, as an Ivan Cordoba own-goal ensured a home final for the Dutch side against Borussia Dortmund. Bert van Marwijk’s men held on to beat Dortmund 3-2 in the final at De Kuip.
The Giallorossi enter the fixture with a lengthy injury list. Long term absentees Kevin Strootman and Federico Balzaretti were left out of Roma’s Europa League squad entirely due to long term injury.
Brazilian full back Maicon is unlikely to feature after a setback in training, while Leandro Castan, Juan Iturbe and Victor Ibarbo are likely to remain sidelined after failing to feature against Hellas Verona. Alessandro Florenzi is also out after picking up a knock against the Gialloblu as well.
Luke Wilkshire and Lex Immers miss out for the hosts after an accumulation of bookings means the pair must serve a suspension.
Form Guide: Roma (D-D-D-W-L-D) Feyenoord (W-D-L-W-L-W)
Expected Starting XIs
Roma: Skorupski; Torosidis, Manolas, Yanga-Mbiwa, Holebas; Pjanic, De Rossi, Nainggolan; Ljajic, Totti, Gervinho.
Feyenoord: Vermeer; Karsdorp, Van Beek, Kongolo, Nelom; Clasie, El Ahmadi; Vilhena; Toornstra, Kazim-Richards, Boetius.
Immers and Wilkshire are suspended and Wilkshire is also injured…. do some research