ROME, ITALY – MARCH 19: Donyell Malen of AS Roma scores his team’s second goal from the penalty spot during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Round of 16 Second Leg match between AS Roma and Bologna FC 1909 at Stadio Olimpico on March 19, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Roma are shaken by Claudio Ranieri’s dismissal, but have Paulo Dybala back on the bench as Donyell Malen and Matias Soulé start against Santiago Castro’s Bologna, who knocked them out of the Europa League.
It kicks off at the Stadio Dall’Ara at 17.00 UK time (18.00 CEST).
These sides met last month in the Europa League Round of 16, and it was a thrilling tie, the first leg ending 1-1 at the Dall’Ara, then a 3-3 draw in the Capital, eventually won 4-3 by Bologna in extra time.
It has been a nightmare week for Roma, who sacked special advisor Ranieri after his very public clash with coach Gian Piero Gasperini, amid reports director of sport Ricky Massara is following suit.
They are still in the running for fourth place, albeit stalled by the 1-1 draw with Atalanta.
Dybala returns for a spot on the bench after a three-month lay-off, but Manu Koné, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson are still out of action.
Wesley and Devyne Rensch are also not at 100 per cent, so Matias Soulé and Niccolo Pisilli support top scorer Malen.
Bologna saw their hopes of European qualification hit hard by a 2-0 defeat to Juventus and lost Federico Bernardeschi for the rest of the season to a muscular injury.
He joins Lukasz Skorupski, Thijs Dallinga and Nicolò Casale on the treatment table, though Eivind Helland and Benjamin Dominguez are back in the squad.
Surprisingly, Vincenzo Italiano has seemingly moved to a three-man defence to counter Gasperini’s tactics.
Jonathan Rowe and Riccardo Orsolini therefore support Castro, with Jhon Lucumi in defence.
They are still in eighth place, so a top seven could ensure Conference League qualification and is something to aim for.
Bologna vs. Roma line-ups
Bologna: Ravaglia; Helland, Heggem, Lucumi; Joao Mario, Ferguson, Freuler, Miranda; Orsolini, Castro, Rowe
Roma: Svilar; Mancini, Ndicka, Hermoso; Celik, Cristante, El Aynaoui, Wesley; Soulé, Pisilli; Malen
