Our European focus takes us to East Sussex as Brighton play host to Roma in the Europa League.
The Second Leg
After Roma won the first leg by four goals to nil, it is going to take something herculean for Brighton to reach the Europa League’s last eight.
A Foregone Conclusion
As Brighton set out to do the Italian job last Thursday, it was a job that was not well done at all and after losing 4-0 to Roma at the Stadio Olimpico, this season’s European adventure looks as if it has just 90 minutes remaining.
If the defeat was by a single goal or two, then the tie would still be very much alive. At a push, a 3-0 reverse in the Italian capital would have made Thursday interesting if Brighton can get the opening goal but a deficit of four should surely be too much of a score.
A score that comes about after an element of defensive naivety as far as the Seagulls were concerned and with manager Roberto De Zerbi initially setting up his Brighton side into a back three than opposed to the usual back four, a switch in shape ultimately backfired.
The damage already done by the time The Amex outfit were put back into their more regular shape and with Gianluca Mancini and Bryan Cristante having doubled Roma’s advantage from two to four goals within the space of five second half minutes, time is now expiring for Brighton in Europe.
In fairness to manager De Zerbi and his players, they must be commended for finishing in the top two of a group that also consisted of Ajax and Marseille and their first six games in this competition will have given their supporters plenty of reasons to be cheerful.
Unfortunately cheers resembled in the first leg of this Roma pairing and although qualification looks like having the slightest of possibilities attached to it, there is still plenty of pride that can be earned on Thursday night.
Because Roma have such a healthy advantage going into their East Sussex trip, then you could understand if Daniele De Rossi orders his players to dial down their level of performance. That is not to take their foot completely off the pedal but at least drive in one of the slower gears.
At the same time, it may also offer the Roma manager the opportunity to rest his biggest names with a view to Serie A action at the weekend and although winning the Europa League offers backdoor entry to the Champions League, a top four domestic finish will also get you there.
Roma currently find themselves lying fifth in the table and three points behind Bologna in fourth. Automatic qualification to Europe’s premier competition is still within their grasp and although Thursday’s game will be a distraction towards that, the hard work was already done last week.
But now it is time for the first of my two tips, and I think Brighton will give their fans a continental send off by winning the second leg. You can back Roberto De Zerbi’s men to come out on top and both teams to score at odds of 9/4.
In addition to this, I am going to opt for a correct score tip and with lessons learned from the first leg. I think Brighton will run Roma close but not enough to really panic their opponents. Therefore, I am also backing a 3-1 home win at odds of 12/1.
