We have reached the quarter-final stage of the 2020/21 UEFA Europa League and on Thursday the 15th of April the second leg of the tie between Roma and Ajax will be played.
The game will be contested at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome with the hosts holding a 2-1 advantage from the first leg in Amsterdam last week.
Roma come into the match having defeated Bologna 1-0 at home in Serie A on the weekend. That result leaves them in 7th place and they still have an outside chance to finish inside the top four positions and qualify for the Champions League next season but the Europa League is a more realistic target.
The victory over Bologna on Sunday means Roma are undefeated in 4 of their last 5 games in all competitions. That run includes two matches in the Europa League, with wins over Shakhtar Donetsk and Ajax, both of which came away from home.
Roma have won each of their last 5 Europa League matches and 8 of their last 9 fixtures in the competition, with just one defeat. Their home record is especially strong and Roma are currently on a 10 game unbeaten run at the Stadio Olimpico.
Trends show in their last 4 home Europa League matches, Roma have won by 2 or more goals. They have also managed to keep a clean sheet in 4 of their last 6 home Europa League games.
Ajax travel to Italy having recorded a narrow 1-0 win away from home against RKC Waalwijk in the Eredivisie. That result leaves Ajax comfortably top of the Eredivisie and there is no doubt they are going to go on and win the title this season.
Ajax have been difficult to beat in recent games and they have lost only one of their last 26 matches in all competitions, meaning they are in good form.
However, the one fixture they have lost came against Roma in the first leg of this tie at home, leaving them with plenty of work to do in Rome.
Ajax have won 5 of their last 6 Europa League games but only 2 of their last 10 away from home in the competition. Ajax struggle to keep clean sheets when playing away from home in the Europa League and have conceded at least one goal in 6 of their last 7 on the road.
Looking ahead to the team news and Roma are without Bruno Peres who is suspended. Leonardo Spinazzola, Stephan El Shaarawy, Chris Smalling, Marash Kumbulla, and Nicolò Zaniolo are all expected to miss out due to injury.
Ajax are without the injured trio of Maarten Stekelenburg, Daley Blind, and Noussair Mazraoui. Perr Schuurs is a doubt due to a knee problem.
Roma know that if they manage to keep clean sheet, they will progress to the semi-final of the Europa League.
If they manage to do that, it is possible they will catch Ajax on the break near the end of the match and that could lead to a 1-0 win for the Italians.