Get ready for an exciting Thursday night in Rome! 🇮🇹
AS Roma take on Viktoria Plzen 🇨🇿 in the UEFA Europa League, one of Europe’s most exciting soccer competitions. Both teams want to grab all three points as the group stage heats up — Roma are desperate to bounce back after a couple of home losses, while Viktoria Plzen hope to keep their unbeaten run alive in Europe this season.
Let’s dive into the full match preview, team news, and some cool soccer facts along the way!
🗓 Match Details
Match: AS Roma 🆚 Viktoria Plzen
Competition: UEFA Europa League
Date: Thursday, October 23, 2025
Kick-off: 8:00 PM BST
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy
About AS Roma
AS Roma is one of Italy’s most famous soccer clubs, known for their passionate fans, dramatic matches, and incredible home atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico. Founded in 1927, Roma have won three Serie A titles, nine Coppa Italia trophies, and were Europa Conference League champions in 2022.
They’re currently managed by Gian Piero Gasperini, a coach known for his bold attacking style and high-energy tactics. But this season, Roma have had a mix of highs and lows — especially in front of goal.
Europa League
About Viktoria Plzen
Viktoria Plzen come from the Czech Republic and have become one of the strongest teams in their country over the last decade. They’ve won six Czech First League titles and are known for surprising bigger European teams.
Even though Plzen might not have the same big names as Roma, they play with heart, speed, and teamwork. They’re also one of the few clubs still unbeaten in European competition this season — which makes them a dangerous opponent.
Europa League
AS Roma Team News
Roma fans will be happy to hear some good news — and maybe a few worries too.
Leon Bailey, the exciting Jamaican winger signed in the summer, could finally get more playing time. He recently made his debut against Inter Milan after being out for nearly two months with a thigh injury. His speed and dribbling can bring something special to Roma’s attack. Gasperini praised Bailey, saying he looked sharp in training and added a spark when he came off the bench.
Another major boost is Paulo Dybala, Roma’s Argentine superstar. Dybala, who used to play for Juventus, has fully recovered from his own thigh issue. He already appeared in games versus Fiorentina and Inter, and he’s now chasing a personal milestone — his 200th career goal! Dybala’s creativity, shooting, and free-kick ability make him one of the most exciting players to watch in Europe.
However, Gasperini has a selection headache. Both Lorenzo Pellegrini and Stephan El Shaarawy are competing for attacking roles too, along with young star Matias Soulé. It’s a tough decision for the manager, but competition is always good for the team.
One concern is Angelino, Roma’s Spanish wing-back. He’s battling asthmatic bronchitis, which might keep him sidelined. If he’s not fit, Kostas Tsimikas, on loan from Liverpool, will likely start on the left side.
Midfielder Edoardo Bove remains out as he continues to recover from heart-related health issues. The club is taking no risks with his condition.
And then there’s Roma’s biggest challenge right now — scoring goals. Strikers Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson have had a rough start to the season, combining for only one goal and two assists so far. Dovbyk especially needs to regain confidence after missing two penalties in Roma’s 1-0 home loss to Lille — a game that saw an unbelievable three consecutive penalty saves!
Europa League
Roma Predicted Lineup
Possible XI:
Svilar; Celik, Mancini, Ndicka; Rensch, Cristante, El Aynaoui, Tsimikas; Bailey, Baldanzi; Dovbyk.
Viktoria Plzen Team News
Viktoria Plzen also have some lineup challenges. Defender Merchas Doski is suspended after receiving a straight red card in their 3-0 win over Malmö. The red came from a tough tackle that didn’t look bad at first — but after a VAR review, the referee upgraded it to a sending-off.
Up front, Rafiu Durosinmi, a 22-year-old Nigerian forward, has been in red-hot form. He scored in each of his first two Europa League games this season and already has six goal involvements in five career Europa League starts. That’s impressive! Durosinmi’s pace and finishing make him the player Roma’s defenders must watch closely.
Alongside him is Matej Vydra, a familiar name to Premier League fans — he used to play for Burnley and Watford. Now 33, Vydra has found his rhythm again back home in the Czech league, scoring six goals in nine games. He also netted in Plzen’s first Europa League match, proving he still knows where the goal is.
However, Jan Kopic and Jiri Panos are still fitness doubts and are unlikely to feature in Rome.
Europa League
Form Guide
AS Roma Recent Form:
Roma have had a strange start to the season — solid defensively but struggling to score. Despite sitting fourth in Serie A, they’ve lost two straight home games (1-0 vs Inter Milan and 1-0 vs Lille).
They’ve scored just seven goals in seven league games, which is low for a team with so much attacking talent. Still, they’ve only conceded three goals, showing that their defense remains tough to break down.
Before the international break, they managed a strong 2-1 away win at Fiorentina, showing flashes of their potential. They also opened their Europa League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Nice in France. If their strikers find confidence, Roma could quickly turn things around.
Viktoria Plzen Recent Form:
Plzen’s recent matches have been full of action! They drew 3-3 with Hradec Kralove and then won 1-0 against Bohemians in their domestic league. Their attack has been consistent, with Durosinmi scoring in both games.
In the Europa League, they started with a 1-1 draw against Ferencvaros, conceding a late equalizer, but bounced back brilliantly with a 3-0 win over Malmö. Despite playing much of the game with 10 men, they looked dangerous on the counterattack.
They’re currently eighth in the Europa League standings with four points, still unbeaten in Europe — something few expected before the season began!
Fun Soccer Facts & Stats Combo
AS Roma’s home stadium, Stadio Olimpico, can hold over 70,000 fans — it’s also used by Lazio, their biggest rival.
Viktoria Plzen first played in the Champions League group stage in 2011, facing giants like Barcelona and AC Milan!
Paulo Dybala once scored a hat-trick in just 22 minutes for Juventus against Sassuolo in 2017.
Roma legend Francesco Totti spent 25 years at the same club, scoring 307 goals — a loyalty record in modern soccer.
Plzen’s manager loves using quick counterattacks — their average possession this season is under 45%, but they’ve scored 11 goals in their last 5 matches!
Prediction and Match Tip
Both teams have strengths and weaknesses. Roma’s defense is excellent, but their attack needs a spark. Viktoria Plzen’s attack looks sharp, but their defense can sometimes struggle against technical sides like Roma.
Tip: Over 2.5 Goals
This means we’re expecting three or more goals in the match — both teams will push hard for a win!
Final Thoughts
AS Roma have more star players and home advantage, but Viktoria Plzen come with confidence and energy. It could be a thrilling match full of goals, drama, and passion — everything fans love about European nights in Rome!
Whether you support the Italian giants or the Czech challengers, one thing’s for sure: this Europa League clash promises fireworks under the lights of the Stadio Olimpico. 🌟
