AS Roma will host Bodo/Glimt in what is expected to be a fiery affair between the two new rivals of the European competition.
Bodo/Glimt stunned the world when they put six past Jose Mourinho’s men in their first meeting in Norway. In the return leg in Rome, Mourinho lined up a relatively stronger eleven. Yet, the club, representing the land of Scandanavia, got success in drawing the game 2-2 and taking home one valuable point.
Mourinho would have felt that the nightmare had passed. But the quarter-finals draw for the inaugural edition of the Europa Conference League marked the reunion of the teams contesting to knock one another out of the respective competition.
Bodo/Glimt did what they do the best in the first leg, notching up a narrow yet significant 2-1 victory over Mourinho’s men. The second leg, which will be held in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, requires the Kjetil Knutsen’s troops to hold onto the lead to secure their qualification in the semi-final of the Europa Conference League this season.
Mourinho’s men have enjoyed a decent form in the domestic competition of late. They are on an eleven-match unbeaten run in Serie A.
Current Form (in all competitions)
Roma: D-W-W-L-W
Bodo/Glimt: L-W-D-W-W
Team News
As for Roma, Leonardo Spinazzola appears to be the only big name missing the oomph of Roma at the moment. Lorenzo Pellegrini will return after his suspension in Serie A last weekend.
Meanwhile, Knutsen, the head coach of the Norwegian club, will be missing due to a suspension. UEFA’s decision to rule the manager out of the second leg came after Knutsen’s post-match altercation with Roma goalkeeping coach Nuno Santos last week.
Predicted XI:
Roma: Patricio; Smalling, Mancini, Ibanez; Karsdorp, Cristante, Oliveira, Zalewski; Pellegrini, Mkhitaryan; Abraham
Bodo/Glimt: Khaikin; Sampsted, Moe, Hoibraten, Wembangomo; Vetlesen, Hagen, Saltnes; Pellegrino, Espejord, Solbakken
Going into the game, Roma are obviously the favourites to go through. But they also were the favourites on the last three occasions.
