Roma, currently lagging behind in Serie A, may once again turn to Jose Mourinho to navigate a lengthy European journey in a bid to rescue their season. Under Mourinho’s leadership, the Italian club secured victory in the Europa Conference League’s inaugural season and reached the Europa League final, though they narrowly lost to Sevilla in a penalty shootout.
However, their performance in Serie A has been less than stellar, finishing sixth in each of Mourinho’s two previous campaigns. Currently, they hold the seventh position, 11 games into the season. Their most recent match against Lecce saw a dramatic comeback, with Sardar Azmoun and Romelu Lukaku scoring stoppage-time goals to secure a 2-1 win at the Stadio Olimpico.
With a significant gap of 11 points behind the league leaders, Inter, and four points adrift of fourth-placed Napoli, Roma faces an important derby match against Lazio this Sunday. To secure a spot in next season’s Champions League, they might need success in the Europa League.
Roma has performed well in Group G so far, winning all of their matches. They defeated Sheriff Tiraspol 2-1 in Moldova, triumphed 4-0 against Swiss side Servette at home, and secured a 2-0 victory over Slavia Prague in their last outing. A win in their upcoming match against Slavia in the Czech capital will guarantee their place in the knockout phase.
Romelu Lukaku’s form has been pivotal for Roma this season, both in domestic and European competitions, with the Belgian striker netting nine goals in 12 games since joining on loan from Chelsea. His consistent scoring in the Europa League could be crucial for Roma’s chances of reaching another European final under Mourinho.
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool could also advance to the knockout phase if they secure their fourth consecutive win in Group E when they face Toulouse. Similarly, Bayer Leverkusen, the Bundesliga leaders, with a perfect record, could secure their berth in the knockout stages with a win over Qarabag in Azerbaijan, guided by Xabi Alonso and boosted by the goal-scoring prowess of Nigerian striker Victor Boniface, who previously shone in the Europa League with Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise
