First two consecutive home defeats for AS Roma since 2014?
On Thursday evening, AS Roma will face Viktoria Plzen in the UEFA Europa League. After the first two matchdays, the Romans have a very balanced record in the EL: one win and one defeat. The Czechs, on the other hand, are currently unbeaten, with one win and one draw. If the Italians are known for one thing above all else, it is their low goal tally – especially at their home ground, the Stadio Olimpico. In five home games so far, they have scored a total of only six goals. In our AS Roma vs. Viktoria Plzen prediction, we therefore once again forecast no more than three goals.
Roma suffered a bitter 0-1 home defeat to Lille on the last Europa League matchday – their first defeat in front of their own fans in this competition for a long time. The last time they had such a negative run was in December 2014, when the Italians lost two consecutive home games in European competitions. This has never happened to them in the Europa League (since its introduction in 2009/10).
Nevertheless, Gian Piero Gasperini’s team is considered extremely strong at home: they remained confident in their last two home games against Viktoria Plzen, winning 4-1 in the Europa League in 2016 and 5-0 in the Champions League in 2018. This season, the Giallorossi’s home form has been somewhat inconsistent. Two wins and three defeats reflect a poor home record. What is striking, however, is that in no single game have both teams scored. So our AS Roma vs. Viktoria Plzen prediction is that once again, both teams will not score and this pattern will continue.
The Czech champions travel to Italy with mixed memories. Pilsen have won only one of their last seven away games in major European competitions on Italian soil (one draw, five defeats) – in February 2013, they pulled off a surprise 3-0 win at Napoli. The team from the Chance Liga traditionally struggles in the Europa League, with only two wins from their last 20 away games (seven draws, eleven defeats). These successes came in games against Hapoel Be’er Sheva in December 2017 and Dynamo Kiev in November 2024.
Striker Rafiu Durosinmi, who is in outstanding form, is currently giving the team hope. The Nigerian has been involved in six goals (four goals, two assists) in his five Europa League starts and has either scored or assisted in every game – a consistency that only Kris Commons and Wayne Rooney have achieved in the history of the competition. You can secure odds of 4.40 at Merkur Bets for another goal from the promising player in the match between AS Roma and Viktoria Plzen.
AS Roma – Viktoria Plzen Head-to-head record
AS Roma and Viktoria Plzen have played each other four times in competitive matches so far – twice in the Europa League and twice in the Champions League. The record clearly favors the Italians, who have won two of these encounters, drawn one and lost only one.
The goal difference is also clearly in Roma’s favor at 11:4. The Giallorossi have been particularly dominant at home, winning comfortably in Rome in both 2016 (4-1) and 2018 (5-0). Plzeň’s only victory came in a home game, while they have yet to pick up a point away against Roma.
AS Roma – Viktoria Plzen Tip
AS Roma are the favorites going into this match against Viktoria Plzen, even though their home form has suffered considerably recently. Although the Romans are considered particularly strong at home in the Stadio Olimpico, they have won only two of their five home games this year.
In addition, they have scored only six goals in those five games – and never both teams have scored. Therefore, a prediction of under 2.5 goals seems very likely.
Due to the Czechs’ poor away form, with only two wins in their last 20 Europa League away games, we are also predicting a home win for Roma without conceding a goal. For this tip, you can secure betting odds of 2.25 for the game between AS Roma and Viktoria Plzen. The Romans’ last two home games against Plzen have shown that they are good at playing to their home advantage (9:1).
