LUDOGORETS

League position: 2nd
Head coach: Ante Simundza
2022/23 top scorer: Matias Tissera (10)

RECENT FORM

ROMA: D W L W W
LUDOGORETS: W W W L W

Victory over Helsinki last week, paired with Ludogorets’ defeat to Real Betis, means Group C goes the distance on Matchday 6.

The Giallorossi are level on points with their Bulgarian visitors and Roma need to win in order to progress to the knockouts due to their 2-1 defeat in the reverse fixture.

That means a draw is enough for Simndza’s side to advance - a result that would see Jose Mourinho’s outfit drop into the Europa Conference League, where they would be defending their trophy.

While Gianluca Mancini and Nicolo Zaniolo are suspended for the hosts, Ludogorets only have the concerns of the match fitness of winger Kiril Despodov.

Possible Ludogorets line-up

(4-2-3-1)

Padt; Cicinho, Verdon, Nedyalkov, Witry; Piotrowski, Naressi; Tekpetey, Cauly, Rick; Tissera

DANGER MAN
Cauly

Simundza has a decision to make in attack as to whether Igor Thiago or Tissera start, and if Despodov is fit enough to feature that would provide a major boost.

More certain going forward are the places of Cauly and Bernard Tekpetey.

It was the latter that we highlighted as the main threat when these two teams last met, but it was the former that was on the scoresheet - breaking the deadlock in a frantic final 20 minutes.

The Brazilian was rested at the weekend and will come into this game fresh as a daisy, and with a return of 12 goal involvements already this season (six goals, six assists).

MATCH STATS

Ludogorets' victory over Roma on the opening day of this season's Europa League group stage was the first time these two teams had ever met in Europe.

Roma are unbeaten at home (W4, D1) against Bulgarian teams in Europe, and have kept four clean sheets across those five fixtures.

In each of their previous four UEL campaigns, Roma have made it past the group stage each time (2009-10, 2016-17, 2019-20 and 2020-21).

Ludogorets are winless in 11 away matches (D3, L8) in the Europa League, and have failed to keep a single clean sheet during this run.

PLAYER STATS

• Tammy Abraham scored the first Europa League goal of his career in the win over Helsinki last time out.
  
• Manuel Pellegrini (15) has had the most shots on goal for Roma in the UEL this season.
  
• Andrea Belotti and Paulo Dybala (two) are Roma’s top scorers in the competition.
  
• No player has created more chances on goal for his teammates than Cauly (13) so far this term.

WHAT THEY SAID

“It's a one-on-one battle for second place. We will do our best in Rome."

- Simundza on the winner-takes-all final group game