Athletic Bilbao Seek Redemption Against Roma in Europa League Opener

Roma vs. Athletic Bilbao: Europa League Opener at Stadio Olimpico

Roma are eager to make a successful return to European competition as they face Athletic Bilbao in their Europa League opener on Thursday evening. This match at the Stadio Olimpico marks the first time these two teams have met in a UEFA tournament, with Roma recently undergoing a managerial change and Bilbao entering the clash in fine form.

Match Preview
Roma's rocky start to the Serie A season, with only three points from their first four matches, led to the dismissal of former coach Daniele De Rossi before he could embark on a quest to improve upon last year's Europa League semi-final finish. The Giallorossi had made a strong run under Jose Mourinho, reaching the semis before being narrowly defeated by Bayer Leverkusen.

Now under the guidance of new manager Ivan Juric, Roma finally secured their first victory of the season, triumphing 3-0 against a strong Udinese side thanks to goals from Artem Dovbyk, Tommaso Baldanzi, and Paulo Dybala. Juric aims to build on this momentum as they begin their journey in UEFA's revamped Europa League format, where teams face eight different opponents in the group stage.

Roma have a commendable record in the Europa League, having lost only three of their last 18 matches in the competition, winning half of those encounters. At home, they were nearly unbeatable last season, suffering just one defeat in seven matches.

However, the Italian side faces a challenge, having won only one of their last eight encounters with Spanish teams, with Athletic Club set to be the 10th such opponent they have faced.

Athletic Bilbao, in contrast, are returning to European competition for the first time since 2018, when they were eliminated in the last 16 of the Europa League by Marseille. The Basque side is determined to avoid a fourth consecutive European loss, a feat they have never experienced before.

Managed by Ernesto Valverde, Athletic Club heads to Rome with confidence, having achieved three consecutive La Liga victories and climbing to third in the league after a win against Celta Vigo, bolstered by goals from Gorka Guruzeta and Alvaro Djalo.

Historically, Athletic has struggled on Italian soil, winning just once in their last nine visits, with their last victory dating back to 1997. They hope to turn a new leaf on Thursday and kickstart their Europa League campaign successfully.

Team News
Roma midfielder Cristante limped off with a knee injury in the match against Udinese and has since missed training. He may join Alexis Saelemaekers and Enzo Le Fee on the sidelines, with the latter targeting a return for Sunday’s Serie A fixture against Venezia.

Ukrainian striker Artem Dovbyk, who has found the net in consecutive games for Roma, will be looking to score against one of the few La Liga teams he hasn't yet scored against in a stellar 2023-24 season at Girona.

Athletic Bilbao will be without key player Nico Williams, who is sidelined due to a sprained ankle sustained in a recent match against Leganes. Additionally, Yeray Alvarez and first-choice goalkeeper Unai Simon are unavailable, leaving Julen Agirrezabala to continue as the starting goalkeeper.

Inaki Williams is expected to step up in the absence of his brother, with Alex Berenguer, Oihan Sancet, and Alvaro Djalo vying for spots in the attacking lineup, while Gorka Guruzeta is set to start up front.

Possible Lineups
Roma: Ryan; Mancini, Hermoso, Ndicka; Celik, Kone, Cristante, El Shaarawy; Soule, Baldanzi; Dovbyk
Athletic Bilbao: Agirrezabala; Gorosabel, Vivian, Paredes, Yuri; Ruiz de Galarreta, Vesga; I. Williams, Sancet, Berenguer; Guruzeta