Roma-Athletic Bilbao on TV: where to watch it and probable formations. Big match on debut for the Giallorossi

Rome 25 September 2024 - The curtain rises on the European season also for theEuropa League, exactly one week after the first day of Champions. New format, with 36 teams instead of 32, for the second club competition, which follows in every way that of the new Champions Cup. No more groups, therefore, but a calendar of eight matches chosen by the algorithm, which from the 4 bands into which the teams were divided, selected two teams per band, one to face at home and the other away. The computer's choice for the Rome in this European debut it fell on theAthletic Club of Bilbao, appointment set for tomorrow, Thursday 25 September 2024, at 21pm at the Olympic Stadium. 

The Giallorossi are looking for a rebound after a mixed start to the season. The arrival on the Roma bench of Ivan Juric It brought with it a lot of controversy, not so much for the choice of the Croatian coach, but for the circumstances surrounding the separation from the previous coach Daniele De RossiThe protests at the Olimpico complicated the coach's debut, but in a few minutes the team managed to distance themselves, at least for the duration of the match, demolishing with a peremptory 3-0 theUdinese, in a challenge where the Bianconeri have never been able to give the impression of being able to win. However, this is not enough to give tranquility to an environment always in turmoil and hotter than ever following the latest vicissitudes within the club. So the European stage can be a chance to further soothe these pains within the fans, but be careful not to underestimate the opponent, because the debut will be very complicated against a team formally in the fourth tier, but really a serious candidate for the final success.

Roma will in fact face theAthletic Club of Bilbao, returning to a European competition after a six-year absence. The last time in Europa League It cost the red and whites dearly, even coming within a few steps of relegation from League, which would have been the first historical one. Since then a real technical revolution, the maturation of Inaki Williams, today the charismatic leader of the team, and the concurrent rise to prominence of his brother Nico, have made Bilbao a fun team in attack, also finding important solidity in defence, supported by the goalkeeper who also plays for the Spanish national team, Unai Simon, together with Aitor Paredes e dani vivian. Added to this is the technical solidity that a guide like this can provide. Ernesto Valverde, in his third spell as Athletic coach. Last year under his guidance the team achieved its best result in the last ten years, finishing fifth in La Liga, fighting until the end for a place in Champions League, and also taking the satisfaction of a trophy, winning the Copa del Rey (24th success in the club's history in the competition), beating Mallorca in a surprise final. Now the goal is to try to replicate that success in this Europa League, given that the final will be played at the Catedral del calcio Basque, the stadium San Mames of Bilbao.

La Uefa the referees of Thursday's match between Rome e Athletic Club, valid for the first day of Europa LeagueThe Bulgarian will referee the match Georgi Kabakov, assisted by fellow countrymen Martin Margaritov, Diyan Valkov, with fourth official Radoslav Gidzhenov, also Bulgarian. Var referee Dragomir Draganov also comes from Bulgaria, assisted by Serbian Momcilo Markovic. For the Eastern European referee it will be the tenth of this season, the fifth in international field, to which he adds 5 in the Bulgarian championship, in addition to 2 matches of the preliminaries of Europe League, 1 in Champions League and 1 in Countries League. A precedent for the race director with the Rome, dated February 20, 2020, when the Giallorossi at the Olimpico overcame the Ghent, first career crossover with the Basques instead.

Probable lineups

The debut on the Giallorossi bench went well, now it's time for the debut in Europe for Juric. In goal we are moving towards confirmation of Silker, XNUMX Beautiful candidate for the role of central flanked by N'Dicka e Mancini. In the four-man midfield line, the time may have come for Koné, to be placed alongside one of Crystalline and Paredes. On the lanes Angelino on the left, but watch out for Zalewski, and Steel on the right. Behind dovbyk instead the runoff is open, Baldanzi on the left it seems the man has the advantage over his rivals, while on the left Dybala should still be preferred to Soulé. 

Ernesto Valverde he starts again from his 4-2-3-1 and in goal he goes towards confirming Agirrezabala, waiting for Simon to return from injury. In front of him From Marcos e Yuri will act on the lanes, while Vivian e Paredes they will be the central players, Yeray is also in the running to cast doubt on one of the two in the centre of the department. In midfield Prados e galarreta they will be the two midfielders, with Iñaki Williams, Unai Gomez e Berenguer behind the lone striker guruzeta, fresh from a brace on the last day of the Liga.

Rome (3-4-2-1) Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Celik, Cristante, Koné, Angelino; Soulé, Baldanzi; Dovbyk. All. Ivan Juric.

Athletic Club (4-2-3-1) Agirrezabala; De Marcos, Vivian, Paredes, Yuri; Prados, Galarreta; I. Williams, Unai Gomez, Berenguer; Guruzeta. Coach Ernesto Valverde.

Where to watch the match

The match between Rome e Athletic Bilbao of the Olympic Stadium, valid for the first day of the championship phase of Europa League, will start at 21pm on Thursday 26 September 2024. There will be several options available to watch the match. The match will be visible on satellite on the platform Sky, to the channels Sky Sports One (channel 201) e Sky Sports channel 252. The match will also be available in streaming on NOW for those who have subscribed to the platform and on Sky Go for those who have a season ticket SkyYou can follow the match by downloading the app NOW on your smart TV or by connecting the TV to a PlayStation 4/5 console, Xbox, or to a TIMVISION BOX, to an Amazon Fire TV Stick or Google Chromecast device. Viewing is also possible via the app or website NOW on tablets, PCs and smartphones. On Sky e NOW the commentary of the match valid for the first day of the championship phase of Europa League, will be entrusted to Riccardo Gentile and Riccardo Montolivo.