SM
Arsenal vs. Juventus: 5 hrs 27 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
Europa League | Group Stage
Dec 10, 2020 at 5.55pm UK
Stadion Bâlgarska Armija
RL

CSKA Sofia
3 - 1
Roma

Rodrigues (5'), Sowe (34', 55')
Antov (90')
FT(HT: 2-1)
Milanese (22')
Tripi (83')

Preview: CSKA Sofia vs. Roma - prediction, team news, lineups

:Headline: Preview: CSKA Sofia vs. Roma - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Thursday's Europa League clash between CSKA Sofia and Roma, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Sports Mole

Goalless CSKA Sofia will be eager to avoid becoming the first club to complete a Europa League group stage campaign without scoring as they welcome Group A winners Roma to the Bulgarian capital on Thursday.

Paulo Fonseca's visitors travel in the luxury of knowing that their progress is assured, so the Serie A side may feature a number of up-and-coming starlets in an experimental starting XI.


Match preview

CSKA claimed a 0-0 draw last time out at CFR Cluj but are still certain to finish last, while Roma - who sealed their qualification after just four games - clinched first place by coming from behind to beat Young Boys 3-1 at Stadio Olimpico.

Goals from on-loan Borja Mayoral, Riccardo Calafiori – his first in Europe – and substitute Edin Dzeko's 42nd strike in UEFA club competition sealed a return to winning ways in the aftermath of Roma's shocking 4-0 collapse at Napoli just days before.

The clubs' first meeting, in the reverse fixture in Rome, surprisingly ended in a goalless draw - the only points dropped so far by the Giallorossi - but Roma have since secured their fourth qualification in as many Europa League group campaigns.

Coach Fonseca has developed a more youthful shadow side in European encounters this term, with Calafiori, Gonzalo Villar, Carles Perez and Tommaso Milanese being involved throughout. He will, therefore, take the opportunity to rest some senior legs with a recent defensive injury crisis yet to be entirely resolved and a challenging Serie A advent calendar of fixtures ahead.

On Sunday, La Lupa took on Sassuolo at a rainy Olimpico and escaped with a goalless draw after having Pedro sent off before the break for his second bookable offence. The former Barcelona star is just one game shy of his 100th in UEFA club competition - he has scored 24 goals in his 99 appearances so far - while Armenian playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan is set to make his 50th Europa League appearance if selected.

As Roma have won their three most recent away fixtures in this competition - including this season at Young Boys and in Cluj - Fonseca's men will still be favourites for the win almost regardless of their starting XI on Thursday.

CSKA Sofia are one of six group stage debutants in this season's competition, but are the only one without a win after the first five matches.

The Reds have enjoyed a significant uplift in domestic form since appointing Bruno Akrapovic as their new head coach last month - and former Reading boss Alan Pardew as technical director - but are still the only one of 48 group stage participants yet to score even a solitary goal.

In fact, no club has ever gone through a group without scoring in the growing history of the Europa League - so if only to save further embarrassment, CSKA will want to at least match the eight teams who only managed to register a single strike in six attempts.

Although the Armymen have lost both Group A home games – 2-0 against CFR Cluj and 1-0 against Swiss champions Young Boys – they have been beaten in just three of their 11 most recent European home matches, seven of them ending in victory.

That record at Stadion Balgarska Armia will at least provide some solace, as Akrapovic and Pardew prepare for the visit of Fonseca's rampant Romans.

CSKA Sofia Europa League form: LDLLD
CSKA Sofia form (all competitions): WWLWDW

Roma Europa League form: WDWWW
Roma form (all competitions): WWWLWD


Team News

Roma reportedly have Chris Smalling available after a lingering knee injury finally cleared. The former Manchester United defender resumed training on Saturday and may be handed a start in Sofia.

Fellow defenders Gianluca Mancini and Davide Santon have recently been absent and may not be risked. Marash Kumbulla and Federico Fazio returned to action last week and will contend for a place in the back three.

Former Aston Villa midfielder and first-choice penalty taker Jordan Veretout has been suffering with a thigh injury so Amadou Diawara and young Gonzalo Villar are more likely to start in the engine room, with in-form Borja Mayoral replacing Edin Dzeko up front in Paulo Fonseca's rotated XI.

CSKA's on-loan Watford forwards Jerome Sinclair and Adalberto Penaranda could start in support of their central striker Ali Sowe, though Irishman Graham Carey could also feature on the left flank.

Akrapovic has reverted to a three-man defence of late - preferring a variation on 3-4-1-2 - and is likely to do so again against superior opponents.

CSKA Sofia possible starting lineup:
Busatto; Zanev, Mattheij, Antov; Vion, Sankhare, Youga, Sinclair; Pendaranda; Yomov, Sowe

Roma possible starting lineup:
Lopez; Fazio, Smalling, Jesus; Peres, Milanese, Villar, Calafiori; Pellegrini, Perez; Mayoral


We say: CSKA Sofia 1-2 Roma

Only Roma's packed schedule - and easing off in light of their already-secured qualification - could save CSKA from going through the humiliation of a goalless group stage.

Paulo Fonseca's second string are a talented bunch however, so expect both the Giallorossi to finish with a flourish and the home side to finally break their barren run.


Top betting tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting an away win 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.Away Win:data




body check tags ::

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


amp_article__425382 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2024-06-05 12:47:24:
html db last update - 2024-06-05 12:47:24 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!
Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
Arsenal's Sead Kolasinac offered to Roma?
"Arsenal have got people in mind" - When could Edu's replacement be hired?
Not again! Chelsea boss Maresca reveals new injury to James ahead of Leicester game
Preview: Basel vs. CSKA Sofia - prediction, team news, lineups
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea115422113819
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Leicester CityLeicester112451421-710
16Everton112451017-710
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Preview: Arsenal vs. Nott'm Forest - prediction, team news, lineups

1

PA

Preview: Leicester vs. Chelsea - prediction, team news, lineups

2

PL

Preview: Millwall vs. Sunderland - prediction, team news, lineups

NEW

3

PM

Preview: St Mirren vs. Aberdeen - prediction, team news, lineups

NEW

4

PS

Sporting 'bracing themselves' for Man United bid for £83m star

5

S'

James blow, Palmer decision, Lavia to start? Chelsea predicted XI against Leicester

6

JB

Courtois, Rodrygo, Alaba updates: Real Madrid injury news vs. Leganes

7

CR

Saka decision, who replaces White? Predicted Arsenal XI against Forest

8

SD

Not again! Chelsea boss Maresca reveals new injury to James ahead of Leicester game

9

NA

Preview: Man City vs. Spurs - prediction, team news, lineups

10

PM


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .