Football · Rome and Bratislava
Roma and Slovan Bratislava level 0-0 in live Champions League clash at the Olimpico
Roma are still goalless against Slovan Bratislava at the Olimpico, with Paulo Dybala out for at least a couple of weeks and the Giallorossi on one point after two matchdays.
- Matchday 1Roma draw 1-1 away at Fenerbahce in Istanbul on their debut
- Matchday 2Real Madrid come from behind to beat Roma 4-3
- Matchday 30-0 at the latest live report against Slovan Bratislava at the Olimpico
Roma host Slovan Bratislava at the Olimpico on Tuesday, 20 October, in the third matchday of the Champions League league phase, with kick-off scheduled for 21:00 Italian time. At the latest live report the score was 0-0, and the same live blog also showed Napoli and Bodø/Glimt level at 0-0 in their match.
What is at stake
Roma come into the game with a single point from two Champions League matches. They drew 1-1 away at Fenerbahce in Istanbul on their opening night, then lost 4-3 to Real Madrid, who came from behind in the closing minutes. Their most recent Serie A match ended 2-0 in their favour against Genoa, with goals from Castro and Lulli.
Gian Piero Gasperini believes ten points should be enough to finish in the top 24 and secure a playoff place. Slovan Bratislava are still on zero points, having lost 6-1 to Paris Saint-Germain and 3-0 at home to Stuttgart. Gasperini has warned against underestimating them, describing a side that is athletically well prepared even if it is not among the Champions League's top tier. Fanpage reports that the coach is chasing his first win in the competition with Roma.
- Roma
- 1 points
- Slovan Bratislava
- 0 points
Data from the article text
“We have to start winning at home. The goal is to stay inside the top 24.”
Injuries and team news
Paulo Dybala is out of the squad. A scan showed a small muscle lesion in his right calf, a more serious problem than first feared, and Gasperini said the recovery will take longer than expected.
“It will take longer than expected. At least a couple of weeks.”
Malen returns after serving a league suspension and is named in the attack with Soulé and Lorenzo Pellegrini, who is also in the starting line-up. Castro begins on the bench, and Gasperini has left open the option of a two-striker formation once the match is underway. Svilar, Koné and Cristante are still unavailable, so De Roon and Pisilli are the midfield picks, with Pellegrini pushed further forward. Pellegrini is still looking for his best form after a summer delayed by injury and a contract renewal that came only after his previous deal had expired.
Live update
At the latest live report neither side had found the net at the Olimpico. The match is the third matchday of the league phase, and Roma need points to keep their playoff hopes alive. Slovan Bratislava, who have yet to score a point in the competition, arrive with the same need to recover after their heavy defeat to Stuttgart. The Napoli and Bodø/Glimt game, also goalless in the same live coverage, runs alongside it in the Champions League schedule.
Context from the competition table
Roma's standing is the main storyline going into the evening. Their single point is the product of a draw in Istanbul and a late defeat to Real Madrid that Gasperini has described in the context of how the group has unfolded. The Slovak side has a pair of heavy defeats and no points to show for its first two outings. Both teams are therefore fighting from the lower half of the table, and each dropped point now carries more weight than it would have earlier in the phase.