Simply put, Roma have found themselves in a rut as of late.
The Giallorossi, who are desperate to finally unseat Juventus as champions of Italy after finishing second in the last two seasons, have seen themselves slip slightly off the pace and now, to their dismay, have the Bianconeri right on their heels. This will be quite disconcerting to Roma fans especially given how Juve struggled badly earlier this season, and Rudi Garcia's men will be under pressure to deliver both in the Champions League and Serie A this week.
Roma
Since defeating Lazio in the Derby della Capitale, Roma have failed to win any of their last four games across all competitions. Their last Champions League match evoked bad memories of their humiliation at the hands of Bayern Munich last season, as they were crushed 6-1 by a rampant Barcelona at Camp Nou. However, just like the Scudetto race, all is not lost regarding their Champions League campaign. With the Blaugrana having already sealed their spot in the round of 16, the second spot in Group E is still very much up for grabs.
This will be a win-or-go-home for Roma. With five points, they are ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, who will face Barcelona and their upcoming opponents, Belarusian outfit BATE by one point. A defeat at the Stadio Olimpico could see them either consigned to the Europa League or out of European competition all together should Bayer Leverkusen manage to defeat Barcelona. A draw for Garcia's side could suffice if, again, Bayer Leverkusen do not beat Barcelona, but given their poor performances as of late, their fans will be expecting nothing less than all three points from the Lupi.
Garcia himself will be feeling the pressure, with rumblings in the press about his position on the bench not being as secure as he would like. A big part, unfortunately of the team's struggles has been the absence of some of their key attackers, and they may have to make do without Gervinho after the speedy attacker returned from injury versus Torino only to re-injure himself again. Captain Francesco Totti is still out with a thigh injury but he can call on Egyptian international Mohamed Salah after he has reportedly recovered from an ankle problem.
The last meeting between Roma and their upcoming opponents BATE ended as a shock loss for the capital club and they will be keen on avoiding the same result at the Stadio Olimpico tomorrow evening. Having conceded 16 goals already, the Giallorossi will really need to tighten their defense if they want to have any chance of putting up a good fight in the round of 16 that will kick off next year.
BATE
Meanwhile, the visitors have yet to win any of their five away games (including qualifiers) and have lost their last three European games on the road. In addition, they will have to hope that Bayer Leverkusen does not beat Barcelona - as a win for the Belarusian side will not be enough to see them to the knockout rounds.
Should Aleksandr Yermakovic's squad manage to beat Roma and Leverkusen fail to defeat reigning UCL champions Barcelona, then they will be on to the round of 16 for the first time in their history. However, they have a poor record against Italian sides on the road and have yet to score a single goal on Italian soil. Consequently, they have never won on any of their trips to Italy, with one draw and three losses in their last four visits.
Which channel is broadcasting Roma vs BATE on TV or Online?
This is a must-win game for Roma, and you just may be fortunate to be in Italy's capital to cheer the Giallorossi on live at the Stadio Olimpico. Meanwhile, for other Lupi fans around the world, LiveSoccerTV has plenty of good options to catch the match from your TV, computer, phone, or tablet. Here are some choices for fans residing in the following countries:
- In the USA at 14.45 EST on: ESPN2, ESPN3 USA, Fox Soccer 2GO USA, ESPN Deportes+
- In Italy at 20.45 CET on: Canale 5, PremiumSport HD
- In the UK at 19.45 GMT on: BT Sport Extra, BT Sport Live Streaming
- In Canada at 14.45 EST on: TSN5
If you don't live in one of those countries, no problem. Simply check out LiveSoccerTV.com's specially created Roma vs. BATE broadcast page for viewing times and options for your current location.
*NOTE: Live broadcast data is subject to change*
Match details, result and original broadcast info
This match has ended. Below are the original Live broadcast details for this match.
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
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