Rome and Royal Society will be measured this Thursday (6:45 pm) in an unprecedented rivalry in the quest to put the Europa League round of 16 on track, where the locals of Jose Mourinho They will try to prevent the extraordinary start in this competition of the txuri urdin team with their good moment, a full Olympic team and the doubts that the Spanish team is dragging in the League.
The Roman group, which, like that from San Sebastian, currently occupies a Champions League in their respective national leagues, they face the clash with good feelings coming from the victory against Juventus Turin (1-0). Led in green by Argentine Paulo Dybala, the ‘giallorosso’ team will try to make the most of the field factor, in what will be the umpteenth consecutive full house at their private Coliseum.
At the Roman Olympic they have won seven of the last eight games played, a cauldron that carries a team that struggles to score goals but, yes, knows how to get a lot of performance from set pieces.
Passing the tie against Salzburg, a team that came from the Champions League, laid the foundations for a Roma that aims to continue to grow and settle in the final stages in European competitions.
It is the reunion of the Spaniard Diego Llorente, who arrived in the capital of Italy in the winter market, with his team for three years (2017-2020), and the center-back starts with many choice to be a starter in the line of three centers where the Portuguese José Mourinho formed, with Smalling and Mancini because Ibáñez, the usual one to complete at the back, will not be able to play in the clash due to the totality of the warnings.
In the middle of the field, Matic and Cristante are the favorites for the double pivot, joined by the wingers Zalewski and a Spinazzola who has recovered from his injury, showing that level with which he surprised Europe in 2021 , before his injury.
Up front, Dybala and Pellegrini will play in midfield, with Abraham the only doubt, as he also did not start against Juventus Turin due to the blow he received in the face against Hellas Verona over a week ago and has prevented him from being one hundred percent by wearing a protective mask with only one eye open.
If the English striker is unable to start, Belotti and Wijnaldum, the latter of whom moved Dybala into the false nine position, will opt to replace him to complete the attack.
Real Sociedad, for its part, faces a clash of options as it seeks to make a competitive leap into Europe.
The men from San Sebastian, with an outstanding European trajectory in a group stage that they led before Manchester United, suffered their worst moment of the season in the last month and a half of the national competition, with only one win in past six games.
A good portion of these matches were played in the absence of a recovered David Silva. The txuri urdin team is another with the Canarian footballer on the pitch, so the midfielder can start at the Olímpico in Rome, after having a few minutes after his injury in the last league match against Cádiz.
The clear improvement in the performance of Mikel Merino and Mikel Oyarzabal, two other players who lived in the vast realistic infirmary until recently, has increased the optimism of a fan who will travel to a number close to 2,000 followers who are confident that able to compete with a balanced team in economic potential and labor force.
Above Alexander Sorloth, who has almost the same numbers this season as the local stars, Paulo Dybala, and the also recovered Mohamed-Alí Cho extended the arguments of the Basques to get a good result against in one of the great Italian Serie A.
The presence of José Mourinho on the rival bench is not, however, reassuring for the interests of a realistic team that has never won with the Portuguese on the rival bench even though all the clashes started from his time in Real Madrid, one of the opponents who have historically fought more against the Gipuzkoans.
likely lineups
Rome: Rui Patricio; Mancini, Smalling, Llorente; Zalewski, Cristante, Matic, Spinazzola; Pellegrini, Dybala; Abraham.
Real society: I remember; Gorosabel, Zubeldia, Le Normand, Rico; Zubimendi, Merino, Brais, Silva; Sorloth, Mikel Oyarzabal.
Referee: Sandro Scharer (SUI)
stadium: rome olympian
Time/TV: 6:45 pm (Four/Movistar Champions League)
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
