Europa League: Two previous meetings with Gent

When the first leg rolls around in February it will be more than 10 years since the two sides last faced each other, in the final qualification round of the 2009-10 Europa LEague.

On that occasion the Giallorossi ran out 3-1 winners in the first leg at the Olimpico, although Gent actually took the lead through Mbaye. In the second half Philippe Mexes, Francesco Totti and Mirko Vucinic all scored to give Roma a valuable advantage.

In the second leg, the Giallorossi romped home: winning 7-1 thanks to a Francesco Totti hat-trick, two goals from Daniele De Rossi and further strikes from Jeremy Menez and Stefano Okaka.

This season Gent reached this stage of the competition by winning Group I, topping - and remaining unbeaten in - a group that also featured Wolfsburg, Saint-Etienne and Olexandriya.

In the league, Gent are currently third in the standings with 10 wins, five draws and four losses to their credit so far.

They have reached the last-32 of this competition three times before in their history - progressing on every occasion. Victims include Tottenham (2016-17), Eintracht Frankfurt (1991-92) and Sportul Studentesc (1986-87).

Roma have faced Belgian clubs 14 times in European competitions before: winning eight, drawing four and losing two. The Giallorossi are actually unbeaten in their last 12 meetings with clubs from Belgium.

Gent play their home games at the Ghelamco Arena, a 20,000-seater stadium that was opened in 2013.

That will be the site of the second leg meeting between the two sides, on Thursday 27 February.

The first leg takes place a week earlier.