'Roma Chasing Historical Success In Europe'
- Roma visit Leicester City Stadium in the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa Conference League on Thursday
- The first leg tie will be followed by the second at Stadio Olimpico in Rome next Thursday
- Italian Football Expert Vieri Capretta has provided his preview of the tie
- Fans can tune into live coverage of the clash on LCFC TV and LCFC Radio from 7pm on Thursday
The Italian side visit Leicester City for a first leg clash in the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa Conference League on Thursday (8pm kick-off). For either side, the competition, in its first season, represents the chance for a maiden piece of major European silverware.
Former Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur manager Mourinho requires no introduction among the the Blue Army. Since taking on the position at Stadio Olimpico last May, the Portuguese has secured a win percentage of 54 per cent.
After emerging through the play-off rounds, Roma then won a group including Bodø/Glimt, Zorya Luhansk and CSKA Sofia, before first overcoming Vitesse in the last-16. Another two clashes with Bodø/Glimt were next up in the quarter-finals, with a 5-2 aggregate win setting up a two-legged tie with the Foxes.
"I think it's going to be a very, very balanced match like you'd expect in a European semi-final at any level," Capretta told Matchday Live this week. "I think Roma have shown that they've got a structure, a solidity, and they've got players, going forward, that pose that individual threat.
"I'm thinking of [Nicolò] Zaniolo and [Tammy] Abraham. They're a very solid side under [José] Mourinho. They've shown that in the league, they've got consistency. Even when they do lose matches, it's never a big, big stop.
"The same thing can be said about them in Europe, where they lost those two matches at Bodø/Glimt but they always fought back and that's what brought them to the semi-final."
With Roma fifth in Serie A and out of the Coppa Italia, Capretta believes I Giallorossi have now placed a greater importance on the Europa Conference League. For Mourinho, a two-time winner of the UEFA Champions League, any chance for silverware is unlikely to be viewed as anything other than a big opportunity.
"It makes complete sense to say that this is the best chance for silverware because it is," he added. "In terms of a top four finish, unless Juventus drop points in the last five matches, it's difficult to see them bridging the gap because it's an eight-point difference.
"It still puts Roma up in fifth place at the minute and I think they're pretty much guaranteed a European spot of some sort for next season. The Conference League is a big, big aim, a big, big objective.
"The chance for someone like José Mourinho to put his hands on the first-ever UEFA Europa Conference League and silverware for Roma - who are big side in Italy, but haven't won that many trophies - it would mean a lot. It would be historical."
All times BST.