Can AS Roma turn the tables in the Europa League quarter-finals after all?
Thursday will see the second leg between the Romans and Feyenoord in the Europa League quarterfinals. In the first leg, the Dutch won 1-0, so they have a good starting position and therefore good chances to reach the semifinals in this competition. However, the Italians were superior in terms of play, so that the narrow lead could quickly be leveled again. The host is therefore also the favorite in the second leg and this is also reflected in the betting odds of the bookmakers between AS Roma and Feyenoord Rotterdam.
The Romans are anything but easy to defeat in their own stadium. Jose Mourinho’s team won 15 out of 22 home games across the competition and only lost to Real Betis on the international stage. A defeat against Rotterdam would therefore be quite surprising.
With three wins and two losses from their last five games, AS Roma don’t seem to be at their absolute best. But the results are somewhat deceptive, as the host lost to Lazio Roma due to an early red card and was even superior in the first leg against Feyenoord.
The away record of the visitors is also positive, as Feyenoord is first in the away table in the Dutch first division. In a total of 20 games on foreign soil Rotterdam lost only three games – including against the city rivals of the upcoming opponent with Lazio Roma.
Arne Slot’s team seems almost unstoppable this season, with Feyenoord losing only four games all season. In fact, in the past 26 games Rotterdam left the field as losers only once. For this reason, between AS Roma and Feyenoord Rotterdam, the odds offered by bettors seem to be a bit far apart.
In the rematch of the last Conference League final match, we recommend betting on over 2.5 goals between AS Roma and Feyenoord Rotterdam. This is primarily due to the visitors, as the Dutch have a built-in goal guarantee and have only gone without conceding twice all season. Accordingly, the Romans will have to be active and take risks sooner or later.
AS Roma – statistics & current form
AS Roma managed to join Real Betis in Group C of the Europa League. The Romans thus finished the group stage ahead of HJK Helsinki and Ludogorets Razgrad in second place and moved into the knockout round less spectacular. In the intermediate round, Jose Mourinho’s team beat Red Bull Salzburg 2-1 on aggregate to set an initial example. In the round of 16, they then knocked Spanish representative Real Sociedad out of the competition with a 2-0 win. The task now is to make up a deficit and secure one of the four semi-final tickets.
On the way to the top flight
The Special One Jose Mourinho seems to be doing a good job in Rome as well. He won the Conference League with the Romans, is in the quarterfinals of the Europa League and in third place in Serie A. The Champions League is thus within reach, but still far from being in the bag.
AS Roma is currently only five points ahead of Inter Milan, who are currently in fifth place. The remaining schedule is a tough one, as the Wolves still have to play Inter, AC Milan, Atalanta Bergamo and the resurgent team from Florence.
Offensive with qualities
The Romans have scored 59 goals in 43 games across the competition this season, averaging 1.37 goals per game. In addition, the home side have only gone seven times without scoring a goal of their own and should therefore have a good chance of scoring in the second leg.
The key player in Jose Mourinho’s system is clearly Paulo Dybala. The attacker has all the freedom he needs and feels absolutely at home in Rome. It is therefore no wonder that the Argentine has scored 15 goals in 32 appearances and could add another eight. Against Rotterdam, however, the offensive player will be missing due to a muscle injury.
The compactness in the defense
The host conceded 37 goals in all competitions combined this season. On average, Mourinho’s team thus allows only 0.86 goals conceded per game, making them difficult to break down. In 18 of the 37 games, the score was zero at the end – that’s almost 50% of all games.
One player in particular stands out and that is Chris Smalling. The central defender was on the pitch in 41 of 43 games and is in outstanding form. Under Mourinho, the English defender has blossomed again after being sidelined at Manchester United.
Last AS Roma games:
Serie A
- 17/04/2023 – AS Roma 3 – 0 Udinese
Europa League Final Stage
- 13/04/2023 – Fey. Rotterdam 1 – 0 AS Roma
Serie A
- 08/04/2023 – FC Torino 0 – 1 AS Roma
- 02/04/2023 – AS Roma 3 – 0 Sampdoria Genoa
- 19/03/2023 – Lazio Roma 1 – 0 AS Roma
Feyenoord Rotterdam – Statistics & current form
Feyenoord Rotterdam prevailed in the group stage of the Europa League overall somewhat happily in first place in Group F. Arne Slot’s team picked up eight points from six games and was thus level on points with all other teams. In the end, direct comparison and goal difference decided first to fourth place. In the round of 16, however, the Dutch played Shakhtar Donetsk up against the wall, winning 8:1 on aggregate and sending out a first signal. The visitors now have one foot in the semifinals, as a draw in Rome would be enough.
On the way to the championship
The guests are currently at the top of the highest Dutch division and are on a very good way towards the title. Arne Slot’s team currently has an eight-point lead over Ajax Amsterdam and with only five games remaining, it’s hard to catch them.
For Feyenoord, this would of course be a great success and would also mean participation in the Champions League. The Europa League therefore does not seem to be the top priority. Nevertheless, Rotterdam will do everything to bring the lead from the first leg over the finish line.
The guarantor in the offense
Feyenoord scored 101 goals in 42 games across the competition this season, averaging 2.40 goals per game. In addition, Arne Slot’s team finished only two games without putting the ball in the opponent’s goal in the entire season.
One of the key players in the offense is clearly Santiago Gimenez. The Mexican arrived from CD Cruz Azul just before the season and hit the ground running. The center forward has scored 19 goals and set up four others this season. That makes him Rotterdam’s top scorer.
The defense stands
But the guests can not only play attractive and offensive soccer, but also stand very neatly in defense. In the entire 22/23 season, Feyenoord conceded 45 goals in 42 games and have managed to keep the zero 15 times.
The visiting team definitely deserves a lot of credit for that, because with Pedersen, Geertruida and Hartman, three still very young players are set in the defense. The only really experienced defender is the Austrian Gernot Trauner with his 31 years.
Last games of Feyenoord Rotterdam:
Eredivisie
- 16/04/2023 – SC Cambuur-Leeuwarden 0 – 3 Fey. Rotterdam
Europa League Final Stage
- 13/04/2023 – Fey. Rotterdam 1 – 0 AS Roma
Eredivisie
- 10/04/2023 – Fey. Rotterdam 5 – 1 RKC Waalwijk
KNVB Cup
- 06/04/2023 – Fey. Rotterdam 1 – 2 Ajax Amsterdam
Eredivisie
- 02/04/2023 – Sparta Rotterdam 1 – 3 Fey. Rotterdam
AS Roma – Feyenoord Rotterdam Direct comparison / H2H balance
The direct comparison between the two teams goes to the hosts. The Romans managed to win two of the four duels, while Feyenoord managed to get only one victory. However, the team from Rotterdam won the first leg and thus has the better starting position in the second leg. The Italians were better in game number one and therefore our prediction between AS Roma and Feyenoord Rotterdam goes more in the direction of the home side. For our main tip, however, we have decided on a goal bet, because the two teams play at a similarly high level.
AS Roma – Feyenoord Rotterdam tip
We play the tip “Both teams score – yes” between AS Roma and Feyenoord Rotterdam. In their own stadium, the Romans are rightly favored, will take the reins and sooner or later throw everything forward. On the other hand, the guests have only scored twice this season and should therefore have one or two good scoring opportunities. In addition, the visiting team wants to take revenge for the lost final in the Conference League in 2022 and should therefore be extra motivated.
Alternatively, between AS Roma and Feyenoord Rotterdam, we recommend odds for a home win for the hosts. As mentioned above, the guests do not seem to be quite as strong away as they are at home. Since the Romans were already superior in the first leg and have one of the best coaches in the world at their side in Mourinho, a win for the Italians seems quite realistic.
