Roma forward Paulo Dybala celebrates after scoring a goal during the Italian Serie A football match between AS Roma and Udinese on November 26, 2023 at the Olympic stadium in Rome. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP) (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)
Roma forward Paulo Dybala celebrates after scoring a goal during the Italian Serie A football match between AS Roma and Udinese on November 26, 2023 at the Olympic stadium in Rome. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP) (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Sardar Azmoun gets his chance to start with Paulo Dybala, Chris Smalling and Evan Ndicka, as Roma host Duvan Zapata’s Torino just days after the Europa League play-off.

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 17.30 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Fiorentina-Lazio on the LIVEBLOG.

The Giallorossi were in action here on Thursday in the Europa League play-off with Feyenoord, which went to extra time and had to be decided by a dramatic penalty shoot-out.

Mile Svilar was the hero with two saves and has now well and truly supplanted Rui Patricio in goal, but Diego Llorente is out after he was stretchered off with a head injury and Rick Karsdorp also sidelined.

Some squad rotation is necessary, so Romelu Lukaku and Stephan El Shaarawy are among those rested, allowing Azmoun to step in with Dybala.

Ndicka made his comeback against Feyenoord after six weeks away for the Africa Cup of Nations and here gets his first start.

So does Smalling, who had been out for most of the campaign with repeated muscular issues, and this allows De Rossi to switch to a 3-5-2 formation.

Torino have quite a few problems to deal with, including increasing tension between coach Ivan Juric and President Urbano Cairo over the contract situation.

They are also coming off a painful 2-0 home defeat to Lazio in the rescheduled Week 21 fixture on Thursday that ended their six-round unbeaten run.

Mergim Vojvoda has a back injury, joining Adrien Tameze, Alessandro Buongiorno and Perr Schuurs on the absentee list, while Koffi Djidji is not at 100 per cent either.

Duvan Zapata had been close to joining Roma over the summer before they went for Romelu Lukaku instead.

Roma: Svilar; Mancini, Smalling, Ndicka; Kristensen, Cristante, Paredes, Pellegrini, Angelino; Dybala, Azmoun

Torino: Milinkovic-Savic; Djidji, Lovato, Masina; Bellanova, Gineitis, Ricci, Lazaro; Vlasic; Sanabria, Zapata

26-02-2024 17:30
MatchDay 26

Player statistic

1st half
    25' Yellow card Valentino Lazaro
    33' Yellow card Samuele Ricci
Paulo Dybala Penalty 42'    
    44' Goal Duván Zapata
(Assist: Raoul Bellanova)
Evan Ndicka Yellow card 45+1'    
2nd half
Paulo Dybala
(Assist: Bryan Cristante)
Goal 57'    
Paulo Dybala
(Assist: Romelu Lukaku)
Goal 69'    
Bryan Cristante Yellow card 85'    
    88' Own Goal Dean Huijsen

Match statistic

54
Possession %
46
6
Total shots
14
3
Shots on target
6
2
Shots off target
2
1
Blocked shots
6
0
Corners
4
0
Offsides
1
12
Fouls
16
Roma
Torino

Starting lineups

99
Goalkeeper
Defender
64'
6
Defender
78'
5
Defender
23
Defender
43
4
Midfielder
16
Midfielder
65'
7
Midfielder
86'
21
Attacker
17
Attacker
65'
32
5
Defender
81'
26
Defender
6
Defender
14'
19
Defender
20
Defender
62'
66
Midfielder
80'
16
Midfielder
28
Midfielder
9
Attacker
81'
91
Attacker

Substitutes

1
Goalkeeper
92
63
Goalkeeper
59
Midfielder
Midfielder
22
Midfielder
19
Defender
64
Attacker
37
64'
52
Midfielder
65'
90
Attacker
65'
3
Defender
78'
20
Midfielder
86'
1
Goalkeeper
71
Goalkeeper
17
Attacker
79
Attacker
15
Defender
14'
13
62'
77
Midfielder
80'
8
Midfielder
81'
21
Attacker
81'

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *