Feyenoord vs Roma

De Kuip is the venue as Feyenoord and Roma go head-to-head in the first leg of their handsomely-looking Europa League quarter-final tie.

Feyenoord will take the field in a buoyant mood after a 5-1 demolition of RKC Walwijk at the weekend strengthened their pursuit of a first Eredivisie title since 2016/17. Eight points clear of second-placed Ajax, Arne Slot’s side will focus on avenging a 1-0 heartbreak in last season’s Europa Conference League final against Roma. Feyenoord dismantled Shakhtar Donetsk 7-1 at home in the second leg of their Europa League last-16 tie to set up their first quarter-final appearance in Europe’s second-tier competition since 2014/15. But to take another stride toward lifting their third trophy, the Dutch heavyweights will have to defy their underwhelming three-game H2H record against Roma in European football (D1, L2). Playing at De Kuip might help, as they’ve won five of their last six competitive home games (L1).

In the meantime, after guiding Roma to their first-ever European silverware last season, Jose Mourinho has set his sights on his third Europa League title. ‘I Giallorossi’ have overcome RB Salzburg and Real Sociedad in the opening two knockout rounds, keeping a clean sheet in their last three knockout legs. Another shutout in Rotterdam would see them go four consecutive European fixtures without conceding for the first time since 2002. That could be crucial to their hopes of reaching the semi-finals because goals have been at a premium for Roma of late. They have averaged only 0.57 goals per game across their last seven competitive away matches, scoring one or fewer on each occasion. Back-to-back Serie A wins ‘to nil’ in the build-up to this trip bode well.