Roma vs Athletic Club – Preview, Predictions, and Best Bets

As Matchday 1 of the UEFA Europa League progresses, we take a look at one of the standout games of the round as Roma takes on Athletic Club.

Roma

AS Roma recently parted ways with Daniele De Rossi, and they finally secured their first win of the season over the weekend, emerging as 3-0 winners against Udinese. Ivan Juric, the new Roma coach, will be looking to build on that victory. The Croatian has instilled more discipline in the team and halted their decline. However, he is missing a few key players, including Alexis Saelemaekers and Enzo Le Fée, ahead of his first European fixture of the season.

Roma will be motivated to perform well at home as they welcome the Spanish side. More than anything, they need to find the consistency that has been missing since José Mourinho’s departure.

Players to watch: The obvious candidates for Roma are Lorenzo Pellegrini in midfield and Argentine attacker Paulo Dybala, both of whom pose a significant threat to their opponents. However, Athletic Club should also be wary of the talented attacking midfielder Tommaso Baldanzi, who was electric in their previous game and scored one of the goals.

Athletic Club

Athletic Club, also known as Athletic Bilbao, have had a great start to their season. They are currently sitting in third place in La Liga, just behind Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Although Athletic Bilbao have started their domestic season well, experienced coach Ernesto Valverde will be aware that European competition presents a different challenge, especially away from home in Italy’s capital. Valverde’s young side will need to prove their credentials in one of their trickiest assignments, particularly without their injured star winger Nico Williams and goalkeeper Unai Simón, both of whom are key players for their club and country.

Players to watch: With Nico Williams injured, the responsibility will fall on his older brother, Iñaki Williams, to lead the attack for Bilbao. Additionally, Ander Herrera could be called upon to provide midfield protection and much-needed experience.

Key Stats

AS Roma have only scored more than 1 goal in 1 of their 5 games this season.

Athletic Bilbao have scored in 4 of their 5 games this season.

AS Roma only lost once at home in the Europa League last season, in the first leg of the semifinal against eventual runners-up Bayer Leverkusen.

Predictions

A quick look at recent results might suggest that this match leans in favor of Athletic Bilbao, but they are playing away from home against a tough European side in AS Roma. Bilbao’s youth and inexperience could work against them, while Roma have struggled in front of goal. However, Valverde’s experience at this level of competition is valuable. Athletic Bilbao could narrowly edge past Roma in a tightly contested match.