Roma
Europa League
Quarter-finals
Thu , Apr 15 , 2021 21:00
1 - 1
Ajax
Roma
Ajax
1 - 1
Roma leads Ajax 2-1 heading into the UEFA Europa League quarter-final second leg. Read our reasons for Roma vs Ajax prediction and betting tips.
Paulo Fonseca felt Roma deserved their win over Bologna and insisted ‘it’s not done’ with Ajax. The Borja Mayoral goal just before half-time was the only one in the game, proving enough for the Giallorossi to win their first Serie A game in a month. They remain in the running for a top-four finish, albeit currently in seventh place, and rotated the squad between Europa League quarter-final legs with Ajax. “It was important to rest some players who were in Amsterdam on Thursday,” Fonseca told the media. “We indeed had difficulties in the first 25 minutes with their pressing man-to-man, but we balanced it out and the second half was completely different. I think we created more scoring opportunities and deserved the victory.”
Henrikh Mkhitaryan made his comeback off the bench and is hoping to play in the second leg with Ajax next week, coming off a 2-1 away win. “We’ll see how Mkhi is, he only had one training session with us, but we need to have him available on Thursday. Ajax is a very strong side, we must be concentrated above all in defense and not make these mistakes again. We have to play at 100 percent because it’s going to be very difficult. The team must realize it’s not done yet and we need a perfect performance if we want to get through.”
Roma's injury-plagued winger Leonardo Spinazzola will miss out after sustaining a muscle injury in the first leg. The Italy international was replaced by young Riccardo Calafiori after just half an hour in Amsterdam and the primavera graduate is set to start on the left of the hosts' 3-4-2-1 formation, as alternative option Bruno Peres is suspended. Chris Smalling and Stephan El Shaarawy remain doubtful for Paulo Fonseca's side due to thigh injuries, while Albanian center-back Marash Kumbulla and golden boy Nicolo Zaniolo are both likely to miss the remainder of the season. Nonetheless, versatile midfielder Bryan Cristante should add some stability to the defense upon his return from suspension and - after also serving a ban last time out in Europe - former Feyenoord wing-back Rick Karsdorp is poised to play on the left. Henrikh Mkhitaryan is on the verge of a comeback from his calf injury and could feature from the bench, while the ongoing duel between Europa League specialist Borja Mayoral and experienced target man Edin Dzeko for the lone striker's role continues - with the former Manchester City forward currently favorite to start.
Roma: Lopez; Mancini, Cristante, Ibanez; Karsdorp, Diawara, Veretout, Calafiori; Pellegrini, Pedro; Dzeko
Defender Lisandro Martinez said Ajax can’t give Edin Dzeko, Lorenzo Pellegrini, and Pedro any space on Thursday. ‘They know how to hurt you’. Ajax travels to Rome for the return leg in the quarter-finals of the Europa League and must turn around a 2-1 defeat to the Giallorossi from Amsterdam. “It’s a pity, we attacked throughout the game,” Martinez told the media. “In the first half we lost too many balls and they caught us off guard, but we only made two real mistakes and paid dearly for them. In any case, I want to think about the positive side of the performance: the team constantly attacked and created many opportunities, but we failed to materialize. The penalty would have changed everything but getting it wrong is part of the game. We have to learn that in these matches you can’t waste opportunities, nor make mistakes.”
Martinez doesn’t expect a different approach during the return leg in the Italian capital. “Our identity is that it won’t change,” he continued. “We will attack, we need to win to reach the semi-finals. We will try to be solid in defense.” The 23-year-old has played five games in the Champions League and five times in the Europa League this term, and he admitted the Roma attackers are dangerous. “They have several players that are very strong,” he said. “Dzeko, Pellegrini, and Pedro are players of great value. “If you give them space, they know how to hurt you.”
After recently losing veteran pair Daley Blind and Maarten Stekelenburg to injury, Ajax manager Erik ten Hag could also be without young striker Brian Brobbey on Thursday. The 19-year-old was not selected against RKC after suffering a muscle injury, leaving a potential quandary for the visitors upfront. Influential captain Dusan Tadic may operate as a false nine for the hosts, having done so last week and on several occasions in the past. Due to suspension, Devyne Rensch will be unavailable to start at right-back, so Sean Klaiber is likely to come in as one of few changes to the lineup, as Kjell Scherpen stands ready to deputize in goal again if Stekelenburg cannot recover.
Ajax: Scherpen; Klaiber, J. Timber, Martinez, Tagliafico; Alvarez, Klaassen, Gravenberch; Antony, Tadic, Neres
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It should be a similar game as the first match, with both teams trying to exploit the quality of their attack. BettingKick’s Roma vs Ajax prediction is: Both teams to score.
3-4-2-1
4-3-3
Roma
Ajax
10.11.2024. | Roma | VS | Bologna | 2-3 |
L
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07.11.2024. | Union Saint-Gilloise | VS | Roma | 1-1 |
D
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03.11.2024. | Verona | VS | Roma | 3-2 |
L
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31.10.2024. | Roma | VS | Torino | 1-0 |
W
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27.10.2024. | Fiorentina | VS | Roma | 5-1 |
L
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24.10.2024. | Roma | VS | Dynamo Kyiv | 1-0 |
W
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20.10.2024. | Roma | VS | Inter | 0-1 |
L
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06.10.2024. | Monza | VS | Roma | 1-1 |
D
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03.10.2024. | Elfsborg | VS | Roma | 1-0 |
L
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29.09.2024. | Roma | VS | Venezia | 2-1 |
W
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10.11.2024. | Roma | VS | Bologna | 2-3 |
L
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31.10.2024. | Roma | VS | Torino | 1-0 |
W
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24.10.2024. | Roma | VS | Dynamo Kyiv | 1-0 |
W
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20.10.2024. | Roma | VS | Inter | 0-1 |
L
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29.09.2024. | Roma | VS | Venezia | 2-1 |
W
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26.09.2024. | Roma | VS | Athletic Bilbao | 1-1 |
D
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22.09.2024. | Roma | VS | Udinese | 3-0 |
W
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25.08.2024. | Roma | VS | Empoli | 1-2 |
L
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03.08.2024. | Roma | VS | Olympiakos Piraeus | 1-1 |
D
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27.07.2024. | Roma | VS | Toulouse | 0-1 |
L
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07.11.2024. | Union Saint-Gilloise | VS | Roma | 1-1 |
D
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03.11.2024. | Verona | VS | Roma | 3-2 |
L
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27.10.2024. | Fiorentina | VS | Roma | 5-1 |
L
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06.10.2024. | Monza | VS | Roma | 1-1 |
D
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03.10.2024. | Elfsborg | VS | Roma | 1-0 |
L
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15.09.2024. | Genoa | VS | Roma | 1-1 |
D
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01.09.2024. | Juventus | VS | Roma | 0-0 |
D
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18.08.2024. | Cagliari | VS | Roma | 0-0 |
D
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10.08.2024. | Everton | VS | Roma | 1-1 |
D
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06.08.2024. | Barnsley | VS | Roma | 0-4 |
W
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10.11.2024. | FC Twente | VS | Ajax | 2-2 |
D
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07.11.2024. | Ajax | VS | Maccabi Tel Aviv | 5-0 |
W
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02.11.2024. | Ajax | VS | PSV | 3-2 |
W
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30.10.2024. | Feyenoord | VS | Ajax | 0-2 |
W
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27.10.2024. | Ajax | VS | Willem II | 1-0 |
W
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24.10.2024. | Qarabağ | VS | Ajax | 0-3 |
W
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20.10.2024. | Heracles | VS | Ajax | 3-4 |
W
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26.09.2024. | Ajax | VS | Beşiktaş | 4-0 |
W
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13.07.2024. | Ajax | VS | Rangers | 2-1 |
W
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03.10.2021. | Ajax | VS | FC Utrecht | 0-1 |
L
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07.11.2024. | Ajax | VS | Maccabi Tel Aviv | 5-0 |
W
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02.11.2024. | Ajax | VS | PSV | 3-2 |
W
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27.10.2024. | Ajax | VS | Willem II | 1-0 |
W
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26.09.2024. | Ajax | VS | Beşiktaş | 4-0 |
W
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13.07.2024. | Ajax | VS | Rangers | 2-1 |
W
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03.10.2021. | Ajax | VS | FC Utrecht | 0-1 |
L
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28.09.2021. | Ajax | VS | Beşiktaş | 2-0 |
W
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25.09.2021. | Ajax | VS | FC Groningen | 3-0 |
W
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18.09.2021. | Ajax | VS | SC Cambuur | 9-0 |
W
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29.08.2021. | Ajax | VS | Vitesse | 5-0 |
W
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10.11.2024. | FC Twente | VS | Ajax | 2-2 |
D
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30.10.2024. | Feyenoord | VS | Ajax | 0-2 |
W
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24.10.2024. | Qarabağ | VS | Ajax | 0-3 |
W
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20.10.2024. | Heracles | VS | Ajax | 3-4 |
W
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21.09.2021. | Fortuna Sittard | VS | Ajax | 0-5 |
W
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15.09.2021. | Sporting CP | VS | Ajax | 1-5 |
W
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11.09.2021. | PEC Zwolle | VS | Ajax | 0-2 |
W
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22.08.2021. | FC Twente | VS | Ajax | 1-1 |
D
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31.07.2021. | Leipzig | VS | Ajax | 1-1 |
D
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24.07.2021. | Bayern Munich | VS | Ajax | 2-2 |
D
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Daniel Garcia is originally from Basque Country, and as a kid who grew up just a few streets from Mendizorrotza Stadium, the choice of Deportivo Alavés as his favourite club is more than obvious. Because of his studies, he moved to Madrid where he graduated in Sports Journalism. Daniel plays football on the weekends, but that does not stop him from watching all La Liga matches. He believes that the outcome of a match can be predicted if all the parameters are analyzed well, including form of the players and weather conditions. Currently he is living in Belgrade, and is in love with a Serbian girl who works as a journalist at one of the famous Sport Channels in Serbia.