Coach Paulo Fonseca said that it was meant to be when Roma drew his former club Shakhtar Donetsk in the Round of 16 of the Europa League.
The Giallorossi set up a clash with the Ukrainian champions after eliminating Braga in the Round of 32, while the Hirnyky defeated Maccabi Tel-Aviv after they dropped into the Europa League competition due to finishing third in Group B of the Champions League.
“It was destiny,” Fonseca said on the official club website. “It will be a difficult round. I know the players well, they are a great squad.
“This season in the Champions League, they have won twice against Real Madrid, and they drew against the Serie A leaders Inter, therefore they are a strong team.”
Fonseca was the coach of Shakhtar Donetsk from 2016 to 2019, achieving the Ukrainian league and cup double in three consecutive seasons and winning the Ukrainian Super Cup in 2017.
He also coached the Ukrainians when they faced Roma in the Round of 16 of the Champions League in 2017/18.
