Roma Need An Extra Round For European Success In 2023/24

The 2023/24 campaign has turned into a little bit of a mixed bag for manager Jose Mourinho and fans of AS Roma.

It is almost inevitable that we have to deal with the ‘Special One’s’ off pitch and match official antics, but we have been more inconsistent on the pitch than we would have liked. Sitting in fourth place in the Serie A table, we are unlikely to mount a more genuine title tilt given the ten plus point gap to the top two, but on a Europa League front, whilst our Group G battle was not perfect, we have done enough to finish in second spot and our dreams of securing qualification through to the next round remain alive.

It does now mean that we are set for a Play Off battle, so the big question on everyone’s lips is who are our future opponents likely to be, and we now have that list. So for those who like a flutter on their football, potential odds can now be looked at on New-Zealand offers with bet365, and then of course, when the draw is made fans are armed with the best available information ahead of the decision they take.

Ahead of Monday’s draw, we already know we cannot be paired with a side from the side country – ergo AC Milan – so we will face one of Galatasaray, Lens, SC Braga, Benfica, Feyenoord, Young Boys or Shakhtar Donetsk in the traditional two legged affair.

60 year old Mourinho will undoubtedly be less than pleased at the extra game time now required to move on through to the next stage, but at least we are still in the competition and in February we will play one of the sides that drops down from the Champions League.

Mourinho has always been a vocal critic of this system, insisting it devalues the sporting integrity by allowing Champions League ‘sharks’ a second attempt to additionally bolster their finances via a tournament they have not qualified for, and in doing so it turns it into a different competition that is now skewed in their favour.

It therefore makes it more difficult for growing sides to secure a trophy and the extra riches available that could help send them to the next level. In fairness Mourinho has a point, the system is designed to suit the bigger and regular CL clubs – after all, losing Europa Conference League sides do not get a second bite of the cherry at Europa League level do they?

In any event, although we are a few months off the home and away clashes, the first leg will take place on February 15 with the second leg taking place on February 22. The winner of those games will then progress to the Round of 16, and that tie would be played on March 7 and 14.