Roma’s Europa League campaign hit a snag as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Athletic Club at the Stadio Olimpico. The match, which came just days after the controversial sacking of Daniele De Rossi and the appointment of Ivan Juric as head coach, saw the Giallorossi take an early lead but ultimately fail to secure all three points.
Artem Dovbyk continued his impressive scoring run, netting for the third consecutive game to put Roma ahead. The Ukrainian striker met a precise cross from Angelino with a well-placed header, giving the home side a deserved advantage.
Despite dominating large portions of the match, Roma struggled to extend their lead. Paulo Dybala and Matias Soulé both had opportunities to double the advantage but were unable to convert.
As the match progressed, Athletic Club grew in confidence and began to assert themselves. The introduction of Spanish international Nico Williams added a new dimension to their attack, putting pressure on the Roma defense.
The visitors’ persistence paid off in the closing stages when Aitor Paredes headed home from close range following a set-piece situation. The late equalizer silenced the Stadio Olimpico and left Roma ruing their missed chances.
The draw leaves Roma in a precarious position in their Europa League group, with work to do in the remaining fixtures. New coach Ivan Juric will need to quickly address the team’s inability to close out matches if they hope to progress in the competition.
The match was played against a backdrop of fan discontent, with the Curva Sud continuing their protest against the club’s management. The coming weeks will be crucial for Roma as they look to navigate both on-field challenges and off-field tensions.
Goals: Dovbyk 32 (R), A Paredes 85 (A)
Roma (3-4-2-1): Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Celik (dal 71′ Abdulhamid), Koné (dall’81’ Paredes), Cristante, Angelino; Dybala (dal 46′ Soulé), Baldanzi (dal 63′ Pisilli); Dovbyk (dall’82’ Shomurodov).
Athletic Bilbao (4-2-3-1): Agirrezabala; Gorosabel (dal 69′ De Marcos), Vivian (dall’80’ Nunez), A. Paredes, Yuri Berchiche; Prados (dal 60′ Herrera), Ruiz de Galarreta; Inaki Williams, Unai Gomez (dal 69′ Berenguer), Djalò (dal 60′ Nico Williams); Guruzeta
