Roma secured a spot in the Europa League semi-finals with a 2-1 victory over AC Milan (3-1 on aggregate) in a heated all-Italian match in Rome. Gianluca Mancini opened the scoring for Roma before Paulo Dybala extended the lead, making it 3-0 on aggregate. Despite a red card for Zeki Celik and a late Milan goal, Roma’s victory was already sealed.
The game was intense from the start, with Mancini scoring inside the first 12 minutes. Dybala then added to Roma’s lead with a beautiful curling shot. Roma’s coach, Daniele De Rossi, recently signed a contract extension and watched as his team overcame adversity with a solid defensive performance, despite Celik’s red card leaving them with 10 men.
AC Milan, despite their efforts and attacking play, struggled to break through Roma’s resilient defense. The closest they came was a shot from Ruben Loftus-Cheek that hit the bar, but it was Matteo Gabbia’s late header that only served as a consolation goal.
Classy finishes, strong headers and a vital goal 😍
Click below to vote for your favourite #UEL goal 👇@Heineken || #UELGOTW
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) April 18, 2024
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Roma now faces Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen in the semi-finals, offering a chance for redemption after losing last year’s Europa League final to Sevilla. The match against Leverkusen will test Roma’s progress under De Rossi, as they face the German champions led by young coach Xabi Alonso.
Player of the Match – Gianluca Mancini
Mancini continues his impressive run with another goal to open the scoring and set the tone for Roma’s victory. His strong defensive play helped Roma withstand Milan’s pressure despite being a man down.
