Brighton & Hove Albion vs Roma

Amex Stadium forms the backdrop for the return leg of a nearly-decided Europa League last-16 tie between Brighton & Hove Albion and Roma. After a 4-0 first-leg thumping, the English club needs a miracle to reach the quarter-finals.

Brighton’s first-ever season in major European competition looks destined to end here unless they can make history and become the first-ever side to overturn a four-goal first-leg deficit in the Europa League. After losing three consecutive games in all competitions ‘to nil,’ Roberto De Zerbi’s side returned to winning ways at the weekend with a narrow 1-0 home triumph against Nottingham Forest. However, you’d need to go back to April 2023 for the last time the Seagulls claimed a home victory big enough to see them turn this tie on its head, courtesy of a 6-0 demolition of Wolverhampton. But beating former European champions Ajax and Marseille without conceding during this season’s Europa League group stages will lift Brighton’s spirits ahead of this Herculean task.

On the other hand, after doing most of the heavy lifting in the first leg, Roma will look to exorcise demons from the past. The last time they headed to England carrying a first-leg lead, Manchester United thrashed them 6-2 in the 2020/21 Europa League season, a result that would take this tie to extra time. Keen to avoid that fate, ‘I Giallorossi’ can fall back on their unbeaten away record under new manager Daniele De Rossi (W3, D2). Moreover, Roma scored 2+ goals in four of those five road matches, suggesting they won’t touch down in East Sussex as spectators. The Italians must be filled with confidence after a last-gasp 2-2 draw against Serie A rivals Fiorentina at the weekend extended their unbeaten streak across all competitions to seven games (W5, D2).