Feyenoord Rotterdam vs AS Roma preview - Roma ready for crucial period
Posted Wednesday, February 25, 2015 by PA
Roma begin a very important stretch on Thursday at Feyenoord in the Europa League.
Rudi Garcia's team will face the Dutch in the second leg of their last 32 tie in Rotterdam and then return home to meet Serie A leaders Juventus four days later.
The Giallorossi are nine points adrift of Juve in the scudetto race and must win that game to have a realistic chance of competing for the Italian title.
Right now, all of the focus is on Feyenoord, a team Roma drew 1-1 with at the Stadio Olimpico last week.
"We want to qualify to the next round," Garcia told the Italian press ahead of the tie. "Our focus is on our next game and not on the match against Juve.
"We are going to Rotterdam to win although a 2-2 draw would also be good for us.
"But we need to score on Thursday."
Roma have drawn six of their last seven games in all competitions and a lack of goalscoring has been their biggest problem.
The Giallorossi have not scored more than two goals since November.
"We need to score more goals," Garcia said. "We are just missing the finishing touch.
"The players need to be more patient up front in order to make the most of our chances."
Roma have failed to win in their last six European away games.
Feyenoord , meanwhile, have a four-game European winning streak at their Feijenoord Stadion.
Fred Rutten's side heads into the contest after a 3-2 triumph over Excelsior at the weekend.
The victory allowed Feyenoord to remain third in the Eredivisie, level on 44 points with AZ Alkmaar, who are fourth.
The hosts will be without defender Luke Wilkshire and midfielder Lex Immers, who are both suspended.
Roma lost midfielder Alessandro Florenzi to an ankle problem at the weekend.
Florenzi joins Victor Ibarbo, Juan Manuel Iturbe and Leandro Castan on the injury list.
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