Roma’s path in the Europa League will go through Portugal as they have been drawn against FC Porto in the playoff round. This matchup marks a return to the Estádio do Dragão for Roma after a five-year hiatus, with their last encounter against the Portuguese side dating back to the 2018-19 Champions League round of 16, which ended in extra time.
The draw presents a formidable challenge for Claudio Ranieri’s squad, despite Porto’s current struggles in their domestic league, where they sit third, six points behind leaders Sporting CP. Porto’s Europa League campaign has also been inconsistent, finishing 18th in the league phase.
As one of the seeded teams in the draw, Roma will have the advantage of playing the second leg at home in the Stadio Olimpico on February 20. The first leg is scheduled for February 13 in Portugal. If the tie remains level after 180 minutes, it will be decided by extra time and, if necessary, penalties.
Should Roma progress, they will learn their round of 16 opponent on February 21. Their potential opponents at that stage would be either Athletic Club or local rivals Lazio, who topped the league phase.
The Europa League playoff round features several intriguing matchups:
– Ferencvaros vs Viktoria Plzen
– Twente vs Bodo/Glimt
– Union SG vs Ajax
– AZ Alkmaar vs Galatasaray
– Porto vs Roma
– Fenerbahce vs Anderlecht
– PAOK vs Steaua Bucharest
– Midtjylland vs Real Sociedad
The eight teams advancing from the playoffs will join the top eight finishers from the league phase in the round of 16. These teams include Lazio, Athletic Club, Manchester United, Tottenham, Eintracht Frankfurt, Lyon, Olympiacos, and Rangers.
The knockout phase schedule is as follows:
– Playoff rounds: February 13 and 20
– Round of 16 draw: February 21
– Round of 16: March 6 and 13
– Quarter-finals: April 10 and 17
– Semi-finals: May 1 and 8
– Final: May 21 in Bilbao
