AS Roma begins their Europa League campaign on Thursday evening. They will host Athletic Bilbao at the Stadio Olimpico in the first meeting between the two clubs in the UEFA competition.
With a new manager at the Roma helm and their Basque visitors in excellent form, both teams will be eager to start strong in this highly anticipated group-stage clash.
Following a poor start to their Serie A season, with just three points from their opening four matches, AS Roma's management decided to part ways with former coach Daniele De Rossi. The club icon had been aiming to build on last season's semi-final appearance in the Europa League, where his side was narrowly eliminated by Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.
Croatian coach Ivan Juric has since stepped in, tasked with reinvigorating a team that struggled early but now seeks a fresh start in Europe.
The 49-year-old Juric, who previously led fellow Serie A sides Genoa, Hellas Verona, and Torino, has already made an impact, guiding AS Roma to their first win of the season with a commanding 3-0 victory over an in-form Udinese side, thanks to goals from Artem Dovbyk, Tommaso Baldanzi, and Paulo Dybala.
Now, with momentum on their side, the Giallorossi aim to kick off their Europa League journey with a victory in UEFA's revamped format. Each team will face eight different opponents in the league phase.
AS Roma have been solid in European competitions in recent years. After winning the inaugural Conference League title under Jose Mourinho two years ago, they also boast an impressive record in the Europa League, having lost just three of their last 18 matches, with one defeat in seven home games last season. However, the capital club must overcome a tough recent run against Spanish opposition, with only one win in their previous eight encounters. Athletic Bilbao will be the 10th Spanish club they have faced.
The Giallorossi may have to rotate their squad between Serie A matches, mainly if captain Lorenzo Pellegrini is unavailable. The experienced Italy midfielder picked up a knee injury against Udinese and could miss Thursday's game, joining Alexis Saelemaekers and Enzo Le Fee on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forward Artem Dovbyk, who has scored in back-to-back matches for his new club, will be eager to face Athletic Bilbao, one of the few La Liga sides he didn't score against during his stellar campaign at Girona last season.
While the Italians are no strangers to European football, the Lions return to the continental stage for the first time since March 2018, when Olympique de Marseille eliminated them in the Europa League last-16. Back then, Athletic Bilbao lost their last three European games, so they will be keen to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat, marking an undesirable record in their history.
However, Ernesto Valverde's side arrives in the Italian capital in fine form, riding a wave of confidence after three consecutive La Liga victories in September. Last weekend, the Lions climbed to third in the table with a 3-0 win over Celta Vigo, powered by Gorka Guruzeta's brace and Alvaro Djalo's first goal in Spain. After last season's Copa del Rey triumph and a fifth-place La Liga finish, the Basques have set their sights on a European solid run this year.
Despite their domestic success, Athletic Bilbao have historically struggled in Italy, winning just once in nine visits, with their last triumph coming in 1997. Valverde will be hoping his team can reverse that trend on Thursday and start their Europa League campaign on the right foot.
To complicate matters, Ernesto Valverde will be without several key players. Fresh off his remarkable Euro 2024 performances, Nico Williams is in serious doubt after he sustained a sprained ankle during last week's victory against Leganes. Goalkeeper Unai Simon and center-back Yeray Alvarez are also unavailable, leaving Julen Agirrezabala to continue in goal.
Up front, Alex Berenguer, Oihan Sancet, Alvaro Djalo, and Inaki Williams will compete for attacking roles, with Gorka Guruzeta likely leading the line.
With Ivan Juric now in charge, AS Roma should be a tougher side to break down, making it challenging for Athletic Bilbao to secure a long-awaited victory on Italian soil. Both teams could settle for a point from one of their toughest group-stage matches, knowing more favorable matchups lie next month.
