[Albion] AS Roma vs Brighton & Hove Albion *** Official Match Thread ***

[Dick Head]

Roma v Albion

EUROPA LEAGUE - ROUND OF 16

Venue: Stadio Olimpico
Date: Thursday 7th March 2024
Kick-off: 17:45 GMT
Referee: François Letexier
Assistants: Cyril Mugnier , Mehdi Rahmouni
Fourth Official: Pierre Gaillouste
VAR: Jérôme Brisard
Additional VAR: Willy Delajod
UEFA Referee Observer: David Fernández Borbalán
UEFA Delegate: Karl Espen Eriksen
​

Brighton midfielder Pascal Gross wants his side to do "something special" in their first European knockout tie.

The Seagulls face Italian giants Roma in their Europa League last-16 first leg at Rome's Stadio Olimpico on Thursday (17:45 GMT).

After finishing top of Group B, Brighton now have a chance to create more club history as they aim to reach a first quarter-final.

"We are very excited about tomorrow," said German midfielder Gross.

"We will be humble but will want to do something special."

Italian manager Roberto de Zerbi said he is "proud to be back in my country with my team".

"We will give it a go," he added. "We will be humble. We know what we have done in the last year and a half. This is unprecedented for this club and we are making history."

Daniele de Rossi's Roma, who sit fifth in Serie A, finished runners-up in the competition last season, having won the Europa Conference League in 2021-22.

STATS

• This will be Brighton's first meeting with an Italian club in European competition. Premier League sides have progressed from seven of their nine knockout ties against Italian clubs in the Europa League, including their past five in a row.
• Roma have only lost one of their past 23 home games in the Europa League (W17 D5), a 2-1 defeat by Real Betis in the 2022-23 group stage. Since then, they have won eight out of nine home games in the competition (D1).
• In Brighton's first ever season in European competition, they have reached the knockout rounds. They are the first English club to make their knockout round debut in any major Uefa competition (excluding pre-group rounds), since Bolton Wanderers in the 2005-06 Uefa Cup.
• Roma centre-back Diego Llorente has never ended on the winning side in four appearances against Brighton when playing for parent club Leeds United in the Premier League (D2 L2).

Roberto De Zerbi and Pascal Gross's Roma Press Conference

 

[Napier]

Forza The Albion!

 

[Mortdecai]

 

[Brok]

3 points tonight please lads, no excuses.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

This next game could be season-defining.

 

[TomandJerry]

RDZ and the lads should be well fired up for this match.

But Roma are definitely no mugs.

Expecting a tight game...

Have an amazing experience to all those who are there.

 

[dstanman]

So looking forward to this game. Despite our recent poor form, De Zerbi will have them fired up.

 

[Slum_Wolf]

Here is the press conference for anyone who wants to watch the original language version with De Zerbi speaking Italian throughout...

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

This next game could be season-defining.

For once you’re absolutely right!

 

[Derbyshire Seagull]

Sitting in Timaru, New Zealand on a big RTW trip and trying to find a way to watch. If not it will be Johnny and Wazza on radio at 6.45 in the morning.

At least the scenery is lovely.....

 

[Frankie]

I'm extremely confident wheelicus winticus 0-2

 

[Beach Hut]

So excited

 

[Dick Head]

So excited

were loose

 

[Official Old Man]

I so want the most boring 0:0 game ever. If we score, even better. If they score then park the bus. Can we play 3 keepers?

 

[Me and my Monkey]

Here is the press conference for anyone who wants to watch the original language version with De Zerbi speaking Italian throughout...

Ooh, yes...much better!

 

[Perfidious Albion]

Wow! Little old Albion playing Euro football at a top Italian club. Who’da thought it when this spotty youth stood on the terraces of th Goldstone?
Anyway, we are here and have shown in this competition that we are no mugs. The tie is there to be won. Have to remember that this is the first of two legs. Win if we can but make sure we don’t lose. Set them up for a home return leg next week. A 0 - 0 draw would be good.

 

[albionalba]

Ooh, yes...much better!

Yeh that really is an emphatic statement of how far we've progressed - seeing an Italian Brighton coach at THAT Italian conference ahead of THIS Italian match..........come on the Albion.....

 

[Seasider78]

When we turn up we are one of the most dangerous sides in the PL and Serie A is not as strong and despite their recent form they have been playing some of the divisions weaker sides (I know I know the Luton result).

If we can avoid conceding the usual early goal and play our high possession game we can get the crowd frustrated. If we come away with at worst a one goal deficit I think we can go through at the Amex.

I am going 1-1 tonight and smash them at the Amex

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

let’s get a result tonight against these scummy ****s

 

[nicko31]

Come on lads time to reflect on all the hard work from last season, you can turn over Roma.