The Europa League round of 16 draw has brought an all-Italian derby between Roma and Bologna.
This is the twenty-first Italian derby in European competitions: the last was between AC Milan and Roma in the quarterfinals of the 2023/24 Europa League.
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Roma’s sporting director, Frederic Massara, speaking to Sky Sport on the sidelines of the Nyon event, emphasized the difficulty of the match: “Yes, European competition could lose its appeal. It will be a great match, with a lot at stake. The only disappointment is the ranking; that doesn’t favor Italy.”
Regarding Bologna, Massara emphasized that both teams are improving: “Bologna is a strong and healthy team, returning to the levels of recent seasons. It will be difficult, but it will be fun to face them.”
Finally, Massara discussed the players to keep an eye on: “Malen has had a positive impact, but Bologna also has some valuable players we’ll have to keep an eye on.”