Eauropa League will be back in action this Thursday as Ludogorets Razgrad is set to host Roma at Huvepharma Arena. Match day schedules for September 8 at 19:45 EAT.
The hosts have won eleven consecutive league titles and have scored a staggering twenty-five goals in their seven Bulgarian Championship games, conceding only four in the process. This will be it will be their sixth consecutive appearance in the group stages of the Europa League, equaling the record held by PSV for the most consecutive appearances in the competition.
Ludogorets Razgrad prepares for this fixture confident after 6-0 First League triumph over Hebar Pazardzhik in their previous match. In that game, Ivan Yordanov (3′), Rick (28′), Bernard Tekpetey (37′), Spas Delev (44′, 48′) and Kiril Despodov (61′) scored for Ludogorets.
Roma on the other end were abruptly brought back to life after their almost perfect start to the league last time out. The defeat to Udinese was Mourinho’s first loss by that margin in the Serie A, and the team from the capital will aim to respond accordingly. However, they tend to struggle on the road of late, winning just three of their last eleven games on the road.
Roma gets into this meeting hoping for better results following 4-0 Serie A trashing at the hands of Udinese in their most recent outing. In that game, Roma managed 57% possession and 12 shots with two of them on target. Udinese got 11 shots with five of them on target and goals by Destiny Udogie (5′), Lazar Samardžić (56′), Roberto Pereyra (75′) and Sandi Lovrić (82′).
Ludogorets Razgrad vs. Roma head to head
Thursday’s meeting will be the =first competitive head to head encounter between Ludogorets Razgrad and Roma.
Here are their last five encounters:
Home
- Ludogorets 6-0 Hebar Pazardzhik
- Ludogorets 4-3 Levski Sofia
- Varna 2-3 Ludogorets
- Zalgiris Vilnius 3-3 Ludogorets
- Pirin 0-4 Ludogorets
Away
- Udinese 4-0 Roma
- Roma 3-0 Monza
- Juventus 1-1 Roma
- Roma 1-0 Cremonese
- Salernitana 0-1 Roma
Ludogorets Razgrad team news
Boss Ante Šimundža will be without the services of Claude Gonçalves who has been sidelined through injury.
Roma team news
Ebrima Darboe, Marash Kumbulla, Stephan El Shaarawy, Nicolò Zaniolo and Georginio Wijnaldum will be unavailable for José Mourinho’s selection through injuries.
Prediction and odds
- Roma Win
- Draw
- Both teams to score
