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Spurs v Roma Preview - Spurs should account for Roma

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Spurs' record in Europe:-

U.E.F.A Champions League

P W D L F - A

53 22 12 19 90 - 75

(Finalists 2019)

European Cup

P W D L F - A

8 4 1 3 21 - 13

(Semi-Finalists 1962)

European Cup Winners Cup

P W D L F - A

33 20 5 8 65 - 34

(Winners 1963)

UEFA Cup/Europa League

P W D L F - A

157 91 37 29 321-138

(Winners 1972, 1984

Finalists 1974)

Europa Conference League

P W D L F - A

7 3 1 3 14 - 9

+ Forfeited one game due to Covid - 09/12/21)

Total

P W D L F - A

258 140 56 62 511-269

Europa League Placings

Pos P W D L F-A GD Pts

Spurs 7 4 3 0 1 8-4 4 9

Roma 20 4 1 2 1 3-3 0 5

Spurs should account for Roma

Welcome to N17

Despite our continuing injury and suspension problems, exacerbated by the loss of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario after Saturday's brilliant win at The Etihad, Spurs should account for Roma in our fifth Europa League phase game tomorrow.

I assume Fraser Forster will step in for his third Europa League game of the season and his fourth start of the season, and that Brandon Austin will be his deputy during Vicario's absence, which could be as long as 12 weeks.

Yves Bissouma got a second booking in our last game against Galatasaray and he will be suspended along with Will Lankshear, who was sent off in the same match. Rodrigo Bentancur's suspension imposed by the FA does not apply to our Europa League schedule, so he will start tomorrow night, and probably our December 12th game at Ibrox against Rangers.

The goalkeeper situation is a particular worry until January, when Spurs might step into the market for another experienced deputy. As far as other team placings are concerned, Ange has limited options, but I imagine Archie Gray, Brennan Johnson, Lucas Bergvall and Timo Werner will be involved, as we have a big game against Fulham on Sunday.

Roma are one of the giants of Serie A. They qualified for this season's Europa League by finishing sixth, which clearly did not satisfy Jose Mourinho's masters. They finished five points behind Bologna who took a fifth Italian Champions League place. Roma lost 3-2 at home to Bologna before the International break. They have failed to win in 9 away games in all competitions so far this season. The last match in this sequence was Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Antonio Conte's Napoli. Romelu Lukaku scored the goal against his former club. Roma are a lowly 12th in Serie A, 15 points behind the top five.

Claudio Ranieri has returned to Roma for a third managerial spell after the sacking of Ivan Juric. Ranieri becomes Roma's third coach this season after the departure of Jose Mourinho's successor Daniele De Rossi and now Juric. 73-year-old Ranieri, who famously led Leicester to their 2015/16 Premier League title success, was previously at Roma from 2009 to 2011 and also in 2019.

Ranieri began his playing career with Roma in 1973, but only made 6 appearances for the club, spending most of his career (he was a defender) with Catanzaro.

Ranieri (born in Rome) has coached at Nantes, Fulham, Roma, Sampdoria, Watford and Cagliari since Leicester dispensed with his services the season after their Premier League success. He has managed or coached 18 sides since his first appointment in 1987. Ranieri's employers have mostly been Italian, but he spent four years at Chelsea between 2000 and 2004.

Spurs have played Roma several times in friendly matches, but never in competition. We have played in the Olympic Stadium they share against Lazio (in 2012), but this is a home game.

With Mourinho at the helm, Roma won the first Europa Conference League in 2022 (we were eliminated at the group stage) and finished runners-up in the following season's Europa League Final, losing on penalties to Sevilla. Roma were beaten European Cup Finalists in 1984 (beaten by Liverpool) and in 1991 as well as 2023 reached the UEFA/Europa final. Back in 1961 Roma won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, which was an invitational tournament.

Roma have won their league title 3 times, but not since 2001. They have finished runners-up 9 times this century, lastly in 2017. Their last Coppa Italia win was in 2008.

One of Roma's most famous sons is of course Francesco Totti, born in 1976, who played only for Roma between 1992 and his retirement in May 2017. The number 10 shirt was retired in his honour.

Current regulars in Roma's side include defenders Gianluca Mancini (not related to Roberto), one-time Manchester City junior Angelino (who faced us for Leipzig in 2019/20) and Ivory Coast centre-back Evan N'Dicka. First choice goalkeeper is Serbian Mile Svilar. Former Brighton man Mat Ryan is Svilar's deputy.

Goals have been somewhat hard to come by for the Italians this season. Argentinean International Paulo Dybala has managed two goals in 10 league appearances (4 as substitute) and 32-year-old wideman El Shaarawy scored his first two goals since March in the Bologna game. Ukrainian striker Artem Dovbyk has scored seven goals in all competitions and is the nominated penalty taker.

Romelu Lukaku was on loan from Chelsea last season, but now plays for Antonio Conte's Napoli. Another ex-Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham is on loan with A.C. Milan.

So far in this Europa League group phase, Roma have drawn at home to Athletic Bilbao, lost away to Elfsborg, beaten Dynamo Kyiv and drawn away to Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise. Roma are in 20th place in the 36-team table.

We only have one more home game in the competition after this match, so it is important for Spurs to win. Roma's remaining opponents are Sporting Braga (H). AZ Alkmaar (A) and Eintracht Frankfurt (H). They will be keen to get something from the game. I feel confident that a buoyant Tottenham side will win by two goals.

Referee Glenn Nyberg and his on-field team are all from Sweden. Mr Nyberg is an experienced referee, but this will be his first Spurs game. Over the last year he has officiated in some high profile games including Man City v Leipzig on this date last year, along with several international matches.

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