Europa League Preview: Roma’s New Coach Aims for First European Match After Securing First Win; Athletic Bilbao Arrives on the Heels of Three Consecutive Victories

At 3 AM on September 27, the first round of the Europa League group stage will see AS Roma host Athletic Bilbao at the Stadio Olimpico in the Italian capital.

AS Roma had a poor start to this season, with three draws and one loss in their first four Serie A matches, leading to the dismissal of Francesco Totti. The new head coach, Juric, was not highly regarded by many, but he has had an immediate impact, leading the team to a 3-0 victory over Udinese in the last match, securing their first win of the season.

This match holds historical significance for Juric, who has been coaching for over a decade but has only led smaller clubs. It marks his first time managing a team in a European competition. Before the game, Juric stated, “I don’t have any special emotions, I just want to focus on the match itself. Is Serie A more important than the Europa League? We haven’t discussed that.”

Athletic Bilbao also had a rocky start to the season, losing two out of their first four league games. However, after the international break, they have improved, winning their last three matches against Las Palmas, Leganes, and Celta Vigo, scoring eight goals and conceding only one, showing excellent form.

In contrast to Roma’s Juric, who lacks experience in European competitions, 60-year-old Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde has managed several teams in Europe (including Barcelona) and has led his teams in 116 European matches (65 wins, 21 draws, 30 losses), giving him a relative advantage in terms of European experience.

This match is considered one of the highlights of the early Europa League stages by European media. According to predictions from a supercomputer that ran tens of thousands of simulations, both teams are among the top five favorites to win the Europa League.

In terms of head-to-head records, the two teams have never met in official competition, only playing a friendly match in August 2019, which ended in a 2-2 draw as Roma did not field their strongest lineup. According to UEFA statistics, Athletic Bilbao has played 19 matches against seven Serie A teams (Juventus, AC Milan, Napoli, Parma, etc.), with nine wins, four draws, and six losses.

Regarding player availability, Roma’s coach Juric confirmed that Zalewski and Pellegrini are out due to injury, while Hamid is not yet ready to play. Additionally, Dzeko’s playing time needs to be reduced. For Athletic Bilbao, goalkeeper Simon, defender Yeray Alvarez, Balenciaga, and midfielder Sancet are sidelined due to injuries. However, winger Nico Williams, who was previously injured, attended the pre-match press conference and may have recovered.

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