“He’s strong” – Roma’s Danielle De Rossi wary of Super Eagles striker ahead of Europa League semi-final showdown

A.S. Roma head coach, Danielle De Rossi, praised Leverkusen’s Nigerian duo ahead of their heavyweight Europa League semi-final showdown this evening, Soccernet.ng reports.

Die Werkself faced Roma in the semi-final of the UEFA Europa League last season, with the Italian side emerging victorious. Roma, led by Jose Mourinho, lost the final to Sevilla on penalties, giving the Spanish side their seventh triumph in the competition.

Fate has ticked and Xabi Alonso’s men have the opportunity to avenge the Romans. The German side are currently on a 46-game unbeaten run, the longest by a European team in the 21st century.

De Rossi took over the coaching reins at Roma after Mourinho was fired in the early stages of the season, and is well aware of the threat Leverkusen possess, taking note of Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella.

“They have strong players put in the ideal conditions to do well. They have a physical, solid team, but they also have great quality. Wirtz, Grimaldo. Schick has always been strong, but now he is a man. Boniface is strong. They have strong replacements. If Frimpong doesn’t play, Tella plays. They have quality players but also great skill. They know how to play, but they also know how to be direct. They have built a really strong team thanks to the coach’s ideas but also thanks to important signings,” the 40-year-old manager said in his pre-match conference, as revealed by the Roma Press.

Leverkusen have scored 18 goals after the 89th minute in all competitions this season, with the latest being Robert Anrich’s equalizer in their 2-2 draw against Stuttgart, and that’s a big worry for Roma’s coach.

“There’s everything to fear. The way they play, they have a long streak of results. I respect their coach a lot. One thing to respect is that they are unbeaten despite often going behind. In addition to being strong and playing well, they have awareness and tenacity even until the final minutes,” the 2006 FIFA World Cup winner added.

The first game of the two-legged tie will be played tonight at the Stadio Olimpico, giving Roma the home advantage.

Adefolahan Guerreiro

Adefolahan is a multilingual journalist and writer at Soccernet Nigeria.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and a track record of involvement in College sports, Adefolahan is focused on crafting engaging football content and utilising his language skills and extensive sports knowledge to enhance content accessibility for a global audience.

He has interviewed Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.