Missing Players and team news:
Roma’s most productive duo in terms of goal involvements this term – former Shakhtar favourite Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who came off injured in the first half of the first leg – and Jordan Veretout are both injured and unavailable for the journey east. Additionally, reserve defender Juan Jesus tested positive for COVID-19 last week and continues to self-isolate, while Chris Smalling is out of action again. The former Manchester United man’s latest injury concern of a heavily disrupted campaign is a thigh problem sustained late last week. However, fellow centre-back Roger Ibanez returned to the squad at the weekend and could start alongside Marash Kumbulla and Gianluca Mancini in Smalling’s absence. It is expected that captain Lorenzo Pellegrini will be rested ahead of the major clash with Napoli at the weekend, so Bryan Cristante may start alongside either Gonzalo Villar or Amadou Diawara in midfield. Meanwhile, the central striker’s role remains a tug-of-war between current incumbent Edin Dzeko and previous Europa League regular Borja Mayoral. Home manager Luis Castro has a mostly fit and rested squad to choose from, after the Shakhtar supremo rotated his starting XI against Desna last weekend. Much-admired Israeli forward Manor Solomon may be in contention to start, having bagged a brace in league action, but one of the club’s customarily burgeoning Brazilian-born contingent – Ukraine international Marlos – is favourite to play in support of Junior Moraes up front. Deep-lying midfielder Taras Stepanenko remains out of commission with a knee injury sustained late last month, so Maycon continues to run the hosts’ engine room.
