Roma hosts an athletic in high-stakes Europa League Match

Today, March 6, the first-leg matches of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 will take place. The fixtures include:

• Real Sociedad vs. Manchester United
• FKSB vs. Lyon
• Fenerbahçe vs. Rangers
• AZ vs. Tottenham
• Viktoria vs. Lazio
• Bodø/Glimt vs. Olympiacos
• Ajax vs. Eintracht
• Roma vs. Athletic

Athletic Visits Rome Tonight

Following the Europa League draw, AS Roma will face Athletic Bilbao in the Round of 16. Athletic finished second in their group stage with 19 points after eight matches, earning a direct spot in the Round of 16.

Roma, on the other hand, secured 15th place and advanced to this stage by defeating Portugal's Porto 4–3 on aggregate in the playoffs. In Serie A, Roma currently holds 8th place with 43 points after 27 rounds, while Athletic is 4th in La Liga with 48 points after 26 rounds.

This match is expected to be closely contested. Roma will aim to capitalize on their home advantage and secure a positive result before the return leg in Bilbao. Athletic, however, will strive to settle the tie in Rome. The match is scheduled to kick off at 1:00 AM Tashkent time on March 7.

Shomurodov Gains Ranieri’s Trust

Uzbek footballer Eldor Shomurodov has earned the trust of Roma’s coach Claudio Ranieri and has been consistently included in the starting lineup. Shomurodov was even named Roma’s Player of the Month for February, boosting his confidence significantly.

With his main competitor, Ukrainian Artem Dovbyk, feeling unwell, Shomurodov has seized the opportunity to solidify his place in the starting lineup. Ranieri has been pairing Shomurodov with either Matías Soulé or Paulo Dybala in attack. Depending on the situation, Soulé plays behind the forwards, while Shomurodov and Dybala take central attacking roles.

Given his recent strong performances, Shomurodov is expected to feature in the starting lineup for today’s match.

Note: The second-leg matches of the Europa League Round of 16 are scheduled for March 13.