UEFA Europa League Gameweek 5
AS Roma 2 - 1 FT FC Midtjylland
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Futmetrix Verdict
58
FT
Sun, Sep 20
Deportivo La Coruna
1-1
Real Betis
⚡ Intensity
43
⚖️ Balance
44
🏆 Stakes
56
🎲 Upset
37
Late drama denies Betis away victory.
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
7' N. El Aynaoui (Z. Celik)
27' ↓ M. Kone ↑B. Cristante
HT
↓ P. Bravo ↑Junior Brumado 46'
↓ M. Gogorza ↑D. Osorio 46'
52' Bryan Cristante
↓ D. Castillo ↑V. Byskov 60'
61' ↓ L. Pellegrini ↑S. El Shaarawy
61' ↓ M. Soule ↑E. Ferguson
↓ V. Bak ↑Paulinho 67'
↓ Franculino ↑A. Simsir 75'
Darío Osorio 77'
78' ↓ P. Dybala ↑L. Bailey
78' ↓ Z. Celik ↑K. Tsimikas
Martin Erlić 80'
83' S. El Shaarawy (L. Bailey)
Paulinho (A. Simsir) 86'
89' Gianluca Mancini
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
AS Roma
Goalkeepers
Mile Svilar 
PROVOCATEUR
1
Fouls Won
1
Fouls Won
2
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Defenders
Daniele Ghilardi 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Evan Ndicka
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Gianluca Mancini 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Midfielders
Zeki Çelik 
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
1
Key Passes
7.2
Rating
Neil El Aynaoui 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Manu Koné
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
27
Total Mins
27
Entry
Wesley
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
6
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Forwards
Matías Soulé
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
62
Total Mins
61
Entry
Lorenzo Pellegrini 
ARCHITECT
4
Key Passes
4
Key Passes
0
Assists
30%
Pass Acc
Paulo Dybala
LATE SHIFT
12
Late Mins
12
Late Mins
78
Total Mins
78
Entry
BENCH
Giorgio De Marzi 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Pierluigi Gollini
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Devyne Rensch
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Konstantinos Tsimikas
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
12
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mario Hermoso
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jan Ziółkowski
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Bryan Cristante
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
63
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Niccolò Pisilli
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Evan Ferguson
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
28
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Leon Bailey 
SUPER SUB
1
Assist
1
Assist
12
Minutes
6.3
Rating
Stephan El Shaarawy 
CLOSER
1
Late Goals
1
Late Goals
0
Late Assists
75
Minute
FC Midtjylland
Goalkeepers
Elías Rafn Ólafsson
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Ousmane Diao
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Martin Erlić
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mads Bech Sørensen 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
50%
Duel Win %
Midfielders
Kevin Mbabu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Pedro Bravo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
Philip Billing
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Victor Bak Jensen
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
67
Total Mins
67
Entry
Forwards
Denil Castillo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
60
Total Mins
60
Entry
Franculino Djú
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
75
Total Mins
75
Entry
Mikel Gogorza
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
BENCH
Jonas Lössl
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Mark Ugboh
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Lee Han-Beom
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Paulo Victor 
CLUTCH HERO
86
Goal Time
86
Goal Time
Goal
Impact
7.5
Rating
Darío Osorio
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Valdemar Byskov
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
30
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Aral Şimşir
SUPER SUB
1
Assist
1
Assist
15
Minutes
7.3
Rating
Daniel Silva
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Cho Gue-Sung
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Júnior Brumado
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Friday Etim
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
A. Djabi
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
League Standings
P: 5 GD: +9
P: 5 GD: +7
P: 5 GD: +5
P: 5 GD: +5
P: 5 GD: +5
P: 5 GD: +4
P: 5 GD: +4
P: 5 GD: +3
P: 5 GD: +2
P: 5 GD: +4
P: 5 GD: +4
P: 5 GD: +4
P: 5 GD: +4
P: 5 GD: +2
P: 5 GD: +2
P: 5 GD: +4
P: 5 GD: +3
P: 5 GD: +3
P: 5 GD: +3
P: 5 GD: 0
P: 5 GD: -1
P: 5 GD: -1
P: 5 GD: -3
P: 5 GD: 0
P: 5 GD: -3
P: 5 GD: -5
P: 5 GD: -5
P: 5 GD: -3
P: 5 GD: -5
P: 5 GD: -5
P: 5 GD: -5
P: 5 GD: -5
P: 5 GD: -7
P: 5 GD: -8
P: 5 GD: -13
League Standings
P: 8 GD: +13
P: 8 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +10
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +7
P: 8 GD: +4
P: 8 GD: +7
P: 8 GD: +6
P: 8 GD: +1
P: 8 GD: +8
P: 8 GD: +5
P: 8 GD: +1
P: 8 GD: +4
P: 8 GD: +3
P: 8 GD: +3
P: 8 GD: +3
P: 8 GD: +2
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -3
P: 8 GD: -4
P: 8 GD: -2
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: -6
P: 8 GD: -7
P: 8 GD: -8
P: 8 GD: -4
P: 8 GD: -4
P: 8 GD: -5
P: 8 GD: -9
P: 8 GD: -8
P: 8 GD: -10
P: 8 GD: -11
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
AS Roma
FC Midtjylland
AS Roma
FC Midtjylland
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Bench Warfare Decides Olimpico Thriller
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 54/100. A frantic final ten minutes turned a controlled affair into a European thriller, as Roma's substitutes proved decisive in a crucial battle for playoff positioning.
Early Ambitions
The Stadio Olimpico barely had time to settle before AS Roma struck. With both sides desperately fighting for premium positioning in the Europa League playoff spots, the hosts needed a fast start. A lightning-fast move in the seventh minute saw Z. Celik carve open the Danish defense, allowing N. El Aynaoui to bury the opener with clinical precision. That early breakthrough dictated the Balance of the first half. Roma edged possession at 54%, content to dictate the tempo while FC Midtjylland chased shadows across the pitch. The visitors, frustrated by the lack of the ball, resorted to a highly physical approach, racking up 20 fouls as they desperately tried to disrupt the Italians' rhythm. Despite 25 combined attempts suggesting an open contest, the expected goals tallied a modest 0.84 to 0.73, revealing a first half defined by speculative efforts rather than clear-cut dominance.
The Tactical Shuffle
As the clock ticked down towards the final whistle, the Stakes magnified considerably. Midtjylland, sitting a comfortable third in the league phase and eager to protect their cushion over the chasing pack, began throwing men forward with reckless abandon. The match's Intensity spiked violently, forcing Roma into a deep defensive crouch on their home turf. Daniele Ghilardi stood like an absolute fortress at the back, earning player-of-the-match honors for his flawless interceptions and incredibly composed distribution under fire. Roma maintained a solid 81% passing accuracy when attempting to break out, but the manager recognized the shifting momentum. Seeking an outlet to relieve the mounting pressure from the relentless Danish press, the touchline tactical chess match kicked into high gear.
Late Bench Warfare
The final ten minutes descended into absolute chaos, a spectacular sequence sparked entirely by the substitutes on both sides. In the 83rd minute, fresh legs proved devastating as L. Bailey danced down the flank and squared a perfect ball for S. El Shaarawy, who seemingly put the game to bed with a decisive finish. But Midtjylland's bench offered an immediate, stunning rebuttal. Just three minutes later, A. Simsir threaded a brilliant, line-breaking pass to Paulinho, slashing the deficit and creating a genuinely nail-biting finale. Roma ultimately held their nerve to secure the points, closing the gap to their Danish rivals in the standings and proving their squad depth is built perfectly for the grueling demands of a deep European run.
Key Questions
How did substitute Neil El Aynaoui change the game?
El Aynaoui was actually a starter, not a substitute. He changed the game immediately by scoring the crucial opening goal in the 7th minute.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Archive note: this preview was written after the match was played.
Top-Eight Spot on the Line as Roma Host Midtjylland
Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 72/100. With direct qualification to the knockout stages hanging in the balance, this top-eight clash at the Stadio Olimpico is Europa League football at its most pivotal.
The Setup
A crucial battle for continental positioning beckons on November 27, 2025. AS Roma currently sit exactly on the bubble in eighth place with 16 points. They welcome a high-flying FC Midtjylland side who occupy third place with 19 points. The Stakes could not be clearer: secure a top-eight finish to guarantee direct progression, or face the grueling top-24 playoff round. The home side boast a formidable Form rating, currently riding an unbeaten five-match streak. However, the Danish visitors are renowned away specialists, packing enough firepower to disrupt Roma's rhythm and upset the Balance of the tie.
Key Battle
The spotlight falls on two distinct attacking talents, reflecting the high Stars rating on display. Roma will look to Paulo Dybala to unlock a stubborn defence with his elite vision and technical brilliance. On the other side, Midtjylland's Franculino Djú presents a direct, clinical threat. If Roma's backline fails to track his intelligent runs, the visitors will undoubtedly punish them.
Our Prediction
We expect a tense, tactical affair. Roma's home advantage and defensive solidity should give them the edge, but Midtjylland's attacking efficiency will keep it close. Our take is a narrow 2-1 victory for the Italian side, cementing their place among the tournament's elite.