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Roma logo
Europa League | Group Stage
Oct 5, 2023 at 8pm UK
Stadio Olimpico
Servette
Roma
4 - 0
Servette
Lukaku (21'), Belotti (46', 59'), Pellegrini (52')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Ondoua (70'), Douline (81')

Preview: Roma vs. Servette - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Thursday's Europa League clash between Roma and Servette, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Last season's Europa League finalists Roma welcome Servette to the Italian capital on matchday two on Thursday.

Jose Mourinho's side edged a narrow encounter with Sheriff Tiraspol on the opening matchday, while Servette lost on their group stage debut to Slavia Prague.


Match preview

Roma coach Jose Mourinho on September 1, 2023© Reuters

While being the masters of the minor UEFA competitions in the past two seasons, Roma only narrowly got the better of Sheriff in Transnistria two weeks ago.

That hard-fought win was one of the few high points in what has been a dreadful start to the season for Mourinho and Roma.

Roma have taken on the moniker of 'flat-track bullies' given their only league wins have come against an Empoli side who were bottom and newly-promoted Frosinone this season.

The thrashing of Empoli means only Inter Milan and Napoli have scored more goals than the Giallorossi, despite them being down in 13th.

A 4-1 defeat at Genoa last midweek has summed up their slow start, but they will hope that Europe can provide a welcome distraction for now from their domestic struggles.

Roma needed some Romelu Lukaku brilliance to get them over the line against Sheriff, scoring a fine individual goal which turned out to be the winner.

The Belgian's strike against the Moldovan champions also continued a remarkable run which has seen Lukaku now score in 12 straight Europa League games.

Since scoring in a 2-0 win away at Wolfsburg for Everton back in 2014, Lukaku has netted 16 goals in those 12 matches, with that strike in Tiraspol being his first in Europe for Roma.

Tasked with keeping the big striker out will be Rene Weiler and his Servette side this midweek.

The European group stage debutants face a first ever competitive trip to Italy but do so on the back of a poor start to the campaign.

Outside of two cup wins against lower-league opposition, Servette have won just two of their other 14 games so far.

Defeat at home to Slavia on matchday one continued that stuttering start, and their form on the road in Europe does not offer much hope either, considering they have just one win in their last six trips on the continent.

However, Weiler will hope that the fact Servette ended an eight-game winless run by defeating Lausanne at the weekend can be the catalyst to turn their fortunes around.

Roma Europa League form:


Roma form (all competitions):


Servette Europa League form:


Servette form (all competitions):


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Team News

Roma's Chris Smalling walks off the pitch after sustaining an injury on April 20, 2023© Reuters

Mourinho utilised his squad when rotating against Sheriff, and even though they needed bailing out by Lukaku, Roma could line up similarly.

Renato Sanches started in Moldova, but the new arrival has since picked up an injury which will keep him out of this one.

The hosts will be without a number of defensive options, with Chris Smalling, Diego Llorente and Marash Kumbulla all missing.

Those absentees could force Bryan Cristante into defence once more, after starting there against Frosinone at the weekend.

Smalling's English compatriot Tammy Abraham is also out after tearing his ACL in pre-season.

Servette have just two players out with injury in comparison, with Alexander Lyng and Theo Magnin both out.

The Swiss side's key man Miroslav Stevanovic enters the game in fine form having scored in his last two matches.

Swiss-born Cypriot international Joel Mall regained his place in the side for the win over Lausanne after being only a substitute in the previous four games.

Roma possible starting lineup:
Svilar; Ndicka, Cristante, Mancini; Kristensen, Pellegrini, Aouar, Spinazzola; El Shaaraway, Lukaku, Zalewski

Servette possible starting lineup:
Mall; Tsunemoto, Rouiller, Onguene, Mazikou; Stevanovic, Cognat, Antunes, Douline; Guillemenot, Bedia


SM words green background

We say: Roma 3-1 Servette

Roma have underwhelmed massively so far, but like in the last two European campaigns, matches on the continent have provided much-needed respite.

Servette's start has arguably been even worse, and they are already playing catchup, and another defeat here will make progression seem extremely unlikely even at this early stage.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 2.5:data

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Game History

How you voted: Roma vs Servette

Roma
88.6%
Draw
9.1%
Servette
2.3%
88
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
1West Ham22006
2Freiburg21013
3Olympiacos20111
4Backa Topola20111

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
1AEK Athens21104
2Marseille20202
3Ajax20202
4Brighton20111

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
1Aris Limassol21013
2Sparta Prague21013
3Rangers21013
4Betis21013

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
1Atalanta22006
2Sporting Lisbon21013
3Sturm Graz21013
4Rakow20020

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
1Liverpool22006
2Toulouse21104
3Union SG20111
4LASK20020

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
1Panathinaikos21104
2Villarreal21013
3Rennes21013
4Maccabi Haifa20111

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
1Slavia Prague22006
2Roma22006
3Servette20020
4Sheriff Tiraspol20020

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
1B. Leverkusen22006
2Qarabag22006
3Molde20020
4Hacken20020

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