Roma v Athletic Bilbao

Roma vs Athletic Bilbao Preview

Roma finally got themselves off the mark in the Italian top flight last weekend when the hosts registered a resounding 3-0 home win against Udinese and they will hold home advantage once again for Thursday night's clash against Spanish visitors, Athletic Bilbao, in their opening Europa League match at the Stadio Olimpico, while Athletic Bilbao captured a third win on the trot in their domestic top flight with a 3-1 home win against Celta Vigo last weekend.

Roma had previously begun their new Serie A campaign in slow and sluggish fashion as Ivan Juric's side had drawn three and lost once in their opening four games of the new season, picking up points in stalemates against Cagliari, Juventus and Genoa along with slipping to a disappointing 2-1 loss at home to Empoli in their opening home game of the new term.

The hosts have struggled to pick up wins on a consistent basis though as Roma have managed to capture just two wins out of their last 10 matches in all competitions which included a pre-season 4-0 romp away at English League One side Barnsley, while goals have also been in short supply with seven of Roma's last 10 games overall resulting in Under 2.5 goals.

Roma have also registered just three wins in their last nine home games overall as well.

Athletic Bilbao picked up a third win on the trot in the Spanish La Liga last weekend when they registered a 3-1 home win against Celta Vigo which followed on from previous victories claimed against the likes of Las Palmas and Leganes, both of which were achieved on their travels.

After producing just one win from their opening four games of the new La Liga season which came in the form of a narrow 1-0 home win against Valencia but also included losses at the hands of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, three wins on the trot was just what the doctor ordered for Athletic Bilbao and the visitors will now make their way over to the Stadio Olimpico with renewed confidence and optimism.

However, before we get too carried away, Athletic Bilbao have managed to pick up just four wins within their last nine games overall in all competitions along with slipping to four defeats as well, so the goals market may be the most prudent option for this upcoming encounter.

To further emphasise this, Athletic Bilbao have lost six of their last 10 away games in all competitions as well, so the straight win markets are best left alone for this upcoming fixture at the Stadio Olimpico.

Roma v Athletic Bilbao Verdict

Both Roma and Athletic Bilbao have produced inconsistent results overall in recent times and this upcoming clash could therefore be a cagey and low-scoring affair as a result.

Therefore, our main bet will be Under 2.5 goals @ 1.72

Other side bets worth considering:

Draw @ 3.25

Correct Score: 1-1 @ 6.00