Match preview: Tottenham Hotspur vs AS Roma in the Europa League

LONDON: The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Europa League will feature a matchup between Tottenham Hotspur and AS Roma at the Tottenham Hotaspur Stadium in London.

The Tottenham vs Roma match is scheduled to begin at 1 am Pakistan Standard Time (PST), with both teams aiming to secure important points in their respective campaigns.

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Tottenham enters this match following a series of inconsistent results. After suffering defeats to Galatasaray and Ipswich Town, the team rebounded with a commendable 4-0 victory over Manchester City in the Premiere League.  

The result provided a boost to their confidence, but  they will need to maintain this form against a Roma side that has encountered difficulties.

Meanwhile, AS Roma has faced a challenging 2024, characterised by managerial changes and fluctuating performances. The club has seen  the departures of Jose Mourinho, Daniele De Rossi, and Ivan Juric, leading to Claudio Ranieri’s reappointment for a third term.

His initial match resulted in a narrow 1-0 loss in Napoli, and he will seek to rectify the team’s trajectory in this upcoming match.

Team updates

Tottenham will be without their first-choice goalkeeper, Guglielmo Vicario, who is sidelined for several months due to an ankle injury.

Fraser Forster is expected to take over as the starting goalkeeper. The squad also faces several key absences, including Christian Romero, Richarlison, Micky van de Ven, Wilson Odobert and Mikey Moore.

Despite these challenges, the team retains a strong lineup, featuring former Juventus players, Rodrigo Bentancur and Radu Dragusin, along with key attacks Dejan Kulusevski and Heung-Min Son.

AS Roma welcomed back Paulo Dybala to the starting lineup after recovering from muscular issues. He will partner with Artem Dovbyk in the forward position, while Mats Hummels makes his first appearance in what is expected to be a five-man defense.  

Alexis Saelemaekers is included in the squad for the first time since undergoing ankle surgery, but Mario Hermoso and Eldor Shomurodov did not travel with the team.

Outcome

The outcome of the match holds considerable importance for both teams. For Tottenham, a victory would reinforce their standing in the Europa League and contribute positively to their ongoing domestic campaign.

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As for AS Roma, securing points is critical for their European hopes and to restore confidence among their supporters following a challenging start to the season.