Football Italia
·28 November 2024
Football Italia
·28 November 2024
Claudio Ranieri tries to get Roma back on track in the Europa League with Paulo Dybala, Artem Dovbyk and Mats Hummels against Tottenham, who are missing Guglielmo Vicario.
It kicks off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London at 20.00 GMT.
The Giallorossi have had a disastrous 2024, firing Jose Mourinho, Daniele De Rossi and Ivan Juric, so Ranieri took over last week and made his debut in a 1-0 defeat to Napoli.
This is his third different stint at the club he has always supported and he came out of retirement to help rescue Roma’s campaign.
Dybala is back in the starting XI after his usual muscular issues, partnering Dovbyk, while Hummels gets his first start in to all intents and purposes a five-man defence.
Alexis Saelemaekers is in the squad for the first time since ankle surgery in September, but Mario Hermoso and Eldor Shomurodov didn’t make the trip.
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 24: Radu Dragusin of Tottenham Hotspur applauds the fans after the team’s victory in the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD3 match between Tottenham Hotspur and AZ at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 24, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Tottenham have quite a few problems of their own to deal with, not least the fact Italy international Vicario broke his ankle and will be out for several months, so Fraser Forster is in goal.
Cristian Romero, Richarlison, Micky van de Ven, Wilson Odobert and Mikey Moore are also out of action.
Their form has been oddly mixed, losing 3-2 to Galatasaray and 2-1 to Ipswich Town only to then crush Manchester City 4-0 at the Etihad on Saturday in the Premier League.
Ex-Juventus players Rodrigo Bentancur and Radu Dragusin start.
Italian Destiny Udogie is on the bench, but Dejan Kulusevski and Heung-min Son are in the starting XI.
Tottenham: Forster; Pedro Porro, Dragusin, B Davies, Gray; Bentancur, Sarr; Kulusevski, Johnson, Solanke; Son
Roma: Svilar; Mancini, Hummels, N’Dicka; Celik, Konè, Paredes, Angelino; El Shaarawy, Dybala; Dovbyk
Ref: Nyberg (SWE)