Europa League: Roma-Feyenoord 4-1, Giallorossi in the semifinals

Heart and passion, personality and quality. A lethal mix, with Roma catching extra time one step away from hell and then going straight to heaven. The 4-1 with which he liquidates Feyenoord is the result of an author’s game, with three special interpreters such as Pellegrini, Dybala and Matic. The Giallorossi captain invented the 2-1 assist and ended the game, Dybala revived Roma with a special magic when they seemed almost dead and Matic was stratospheric, everywhere, with a thickness typical only of the great players. One minute from the end it all seemed over, then the magic of our Paulino (as Mourinho calls him) rekindled the Giallorossi hearts. Now the semifinal will be with Leverkusen, but all eyes are on Budapest and the final on May 31st.

Chess contest

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Mou in the end decides not to risk Dybala, still trusts Llorente and confirms Belotti in front. Slot, on the other hand, plays against the same eleven from Rotterdam, looking immediately for that goal that would put qualification almost in the icebox. However, Roma immediately pushed hard, pressing high and trying to take the breath away from the Dutch setters. Pellegrini tries immediately, then a turn from Cristante ends a whisker out. It seems like an incessant rhythm, but the Giallorossi fade away slowly, with the guests who come out and also come close to scoring first with Szymanski (super Rui Patricio in the close response) and Hartman (just wide shot). Belotti fights for every ball, Mancini often tries to change the game on Spinazzola diagonally, Wijnaldum has to give up early due to a problem with his left flexor (in El Shaarawy) and Pellegrini puts quality, rhythm and desire into it. And it was precisely from an invention of the Giallorossi captain that an opportunity arose for El Shaarawy, who wastes high in the race. The Pharaoh will then also have the possibility of sending Zalewski on goal in an open field, but he misses everything on his own trocar. For the guests, however, after a good start the Iranian Jahanbakhsh deflated, while Gimenez was only noticed by the slap taken by Foti on the sidelines, with the inevitable red card for Mourinho’s exuberant deputy. So in the final Feyenoord tries with Idrissi, Szymanski (Rui ok, but shivering) and Kokcu, but without ever being able to pass.

Emotions and goals

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At least one goal is needed and in the second half Roma start very strong, so much so that after just 15 seconds of play the 28th post of the season (with the help of Bijlow) says no to Pellegrini. Wieffer (already booked) should be sent off for a blatant hold on Rui Patricio who prevents him from launching a restart, but the Giallorossi are not discouraged, they continue to grind the game up to the advantage (15 ‘) signed by Spinazzola, good with a left foot to find the opposite corner after a general shuffle in the red and white area. With the goal, the Olimpico ignites and becomes a bedlam, Slot inserts Paixao, while Mancini in the area goes close to 2-0. And then it’s up to Mou in the 26th minute to change everything, inserting Ibanez, Abraham and Dybala to go in search of the qualifying goal. But bad luck was around the corner, with Smalling also giving in for the flexor and referee Taylor canceling Cristante’s 2-0 for a slight push by Abraham on Trauner. And without Smalling, Roma fell immediately: cross from Szymanski and winning header from Paixao completely free in the middle of the area. It’s an icy shower, but Dybala appears just a breath away from hell: a fairy assist from Pellegrini and an author’s play from the Argentine, who goes around Truaner and finds the opposite corner from the ground. And a whisker away from extra time, Dybala is still close to scoring.

The grand finale

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This is how we go into extra time: Gimenez devours the equal, Dybala commits Bijlow again, Ibanez hits yet another header with the post and El Shaarawy scores the 3-1 on an assist from Abraham. Who then also has the ball to close the game, but kicks Bijlow. It starts again with the second overtime, Abraham kicks again on Bijlow, Pellegrini makes it 4-1 on the rebuttal, but Taylor cancels for an initial offside by the Englishman. We need the help of the Var, the goal is good, the Olimpico goes crazy. Before the end Gimenez gets kicked out for a foul on Mancini, then it’s just ecstasy. Roma is in the semifinals, one step away from history.