Stat Attack: Facts to know ahead of CSKA Sofia visit

Roma host CSKA Sofia in the Europa League on Thursday night, looking to make it two wins from two for Paulo Fonseca’s men in Europe.

Here are 10 pre-match facts worth knowing ahead of the Group A meeting, which kicks-off at 21:00 CET…

Looking for three in a row

The Giallorossi's victory over Young Boys in the Group A opener was the perfect start to the group stage as Roma look to maintain their 100 per cent record of advancing to the Europa League knockouts from their third group stage campaign in the competition.

Home comforts

A 2-0 defeat to then-holders Real Madrid in the 2018-19 Champions League is Roma’s only home loss in Europe from their last 15 matches at the Olimpico; during which time they’ve chalked up 11 victories, are unbeaten at home in the UEL group stage (W6 D3) and have not lost any of their last five in European competition.

It gets better...

Roma also won their last European home game - a 1-0 last-16 first leg victory over Gent in February that was sealed courtesy of Carles Perez’s first goal for the club.

And better…

They have also never lost at home in the Europa League under Paulo Fonseca (P4, W2, D2), and the Portuguese coach’s overall Europa League record in the Roma dugout is also in the black: P10, W4, D4, L2.

History in Roma’s favour

These two side have previously met on a total of four occasions, with Roma winning all four without conceding a single goal.

The last time they met

Their most recent meeting resulted in a 3-0 Roma win at CSKA back in December 2009, with Alessio Cerci (2) and Filippo Scardina grabbing the goals; while the last match between the two in Rome saw the hosts clinch a 2-0 victory in October that same year.

On the throne

Cerci's aforementioned brace - two of only three goals the winger scored for the club - means he is the fixture’s highest scorer and the only man to score more than once on either side of the divide.

Experienced trident

At the pointy end of Roma’s attack are the club’s most experienced European competitors, with Pedro chalking up 96 appearances in UEFA club competitions, Dzeko 98, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan at the top with 104.

A regular goalscorer...

Club captain Dzeko has scored 11 goals in 17 Europa League matches in a Roma shirt, hitting eight of them in his 11 group stage games.

...And a new one

Meanwhile, Marash Kumbulla now has two goals in his last two matches thanks to his equaliser against AC Milan and his winner on the 20-year-old’s European debut against Young Boys last time out in Group A - the centre-back's first goals in yellow and red since joining Roma this summer.