Shomurodov favored to start ahead of Dovbyk vs Athletic | OneFootball

With just a few hours to go before the decisive match against Athletic Bilbao, Claudio Ranieri still has to resolve the main doubt regarding the lineup: who will be the starting centre-forward at San Mamés?

The ballot between Eldor Shomurodov and Artem Dovbyk will only be resolved after the final training session, when the coach will evaluate the latest information on the physical condition of the two forwards.

According to Corriere dello Sport, Shomurodov currently holds a slight advantage over the Ukrainian attacker.

Despite the error in front of goal against Empoli, the Uzbek striker has shown good physical condition and has already made the difference against Bilbao in the first leg, scoring the decisive goal in the final minutes.

Furthermore, his dynamism and ability to sacrifice himself in the defensive phase could prove fundamental in a match in which Roma will have to balance the attack and cover the lead.

On the other hand, Dovbyk represents the most experienced and physically dominant option.

Top scorer in last season’s Liga, the Ukrainian already knows the environment of San Mamés and his presence in the area could be decisive when Roma will need to resist the Basque pressure and raise the center of gravity.

He too, like Shomurodov, has an unfinished business after the error in Empoli and will want to redeem himself.