Roma v Astra background
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Article summary
Two days after Francesco Totti's 40th birthday, Roma will look to end a seven-game wait for a European victory as Astra come west in UEFA Europa League Group E.
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Roma will try to put an end to a seven-game wait for a European victory as Astra Giurgiu make their first trip to Italy in UEFA Europa League Group E.
Previous meetings
• This is the sides' first competitive encounter, and Astra's first meeting with Italian opponents.
• Roma's six previous matches against Romanian teams produced results of W3 D2 L1 (W2 L1 at home). That lone defeat came at home to CFR Cluj in the 2008/09 UEFA Champions League group stage.
Form guide
• Following their 1-1 draw at Plzeň on matchday one, Roma are without a victory in seven European fixtures (D3 L4) since a 3-2 success over Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League group stage in November 2015.
• Astra's record in five European games this season is W1 D2 L2 (W1 L1 away from home).
• Roma advanced in both of their previous UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns (2005/06, 2009/10).
• Astra were eliminated at the end of their only preceding UEFA Europa League group stage campaign in 2014/15.
Links and trivia
• The journey from Giurgiu to Rome is around 1,100km.
• The game is taking place two days after Roma striker Francesco Totti's 40th birthday.
• Astra striker Denis Alibec has played in Italy with Inter Milan and Bologna (on loan) but made just three senior Serie A appearances. He was on Inter's books at the same time as Roma defender Juan.
• Romanian goalkeeper Bogdan Lobonţ is still under contract at Roma, but the 38-year-old has not made a senior outing since 2013 and was not included in their UEFA Europa League squad.
The coaches
• Luciano Spalletti returned to Roma in January after five years in Russia with Zenit, where he claimed two league titles. He lifted the Coppa Italia twice with Roma from 2005–09, having made his name by leading unfancied Udinese to fourth place in Serie A in 2004/05.
• This is Spalletti's 100th UEFA club competition game.
• Marius Șumudică steered Astra to a maiden Romanian title in 2015/16, having previously won the league as a player with Rapid Bucureşti in 1998/99. He played in Portugal, Hungary and Cyprus as a striker, and has coached in Greece and the United Arab Emirates.