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Roma Unhappy with Rescheduling of Interrupted Udinese Match

AS Roma's supporters cheer during the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, 2nd leg soccer match between AS Roma and AC Milan in Rome, Italy, 18 April 2024. (EPA)
AS Roma's supporters cheer during the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, 2nd leg soccer match between AS Roma and AC Milan in Rome, Italy, 18 April 2024. (EPA)
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Roma Unhappy with Rescheduling of Interrupted Udinese Match

AS Roma's supporters cheer during the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, 2nd leg soccer match between AS Roma and AC Milan in Rome, Italy, 18 April 2024. (EPA)
AS Roma's supporters cheer during the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, 2nd leg soccer match between AS Roma and AC Milan in Rome, Italy, 18 April 2024. (EPA)

AS Roma said Serie A's decision to schedule the remaining 18 minutes of their suspended fixture against Udinese for April 25 is unfair as it puts the club at a disadvantage in their Europa League semi-final against Bayer Leverkusen.

The April 14 match at Udinese was suspended in the second half after Roma defender Evan Ndicka collapsed on the pitch and Serie A said the remainder would be played on Thursday.

Roma are also scheduled to play Bologna and Napoli this week before hosting Bayer Leverkusen on May 2 in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final.

"AS Roma with its results and four consecutive European semi-finals contributed to UEFA ranking and thus five slots for Italian teams in the next edition of the Champions League," the club said on Friday.

"Despite that, (Serie A) President (Lorenzo) Casini took today an unfair decision, as it holds, against AS Roma forcing us to face Bayer 04 Leverkusen at disadvantage," it added.

"This is a clear backwards step for the whole of Italian football."

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PSG May Be Spared from Facing Rashford and Watkins Double Act in the Champions League

Football - Premier League - Southampton v Aston Villa - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - April 12, 2025 Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford shoots at goal. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Southampton v Aston Villa - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - April 12, 2025 Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford shoots at goal. (Reuters)
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PSG May Be Spared from Facing Rashford and Watkins Double Act in the Champions League

Football - Premier League - Southampton v Aston Villa - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - April 12, 2025 Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford shoots at goal. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Southampton v Aston Villa - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - April 12, 2025 Aston Villa's Marcus Rashford shoots at goal. (Reuters)

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery suggested he is not ready to unleash Marcus Rashford and Ollie Watkins as a strike partnership against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Villa needs to overturn a 3-1 deficit from the first leg when the teams meet at Villa Park.

But Emery does not think England internationals Rashford and Watkins can play as a front two yet.

“The next step, if I have time, is to play them together,” he told a news conference Monday. “We did with Rashford playing left side, but now we are choosing more with both playing as strikers. That’s the next step. I want to practice. I want to test, but not now, with enough time.”

Rashford has impressed during a loan spell from Manchester United, with three goals in recent weeks. Watkins has scored 15 this season, including one to set up a 3-0 win against Southampton on Saturday after coming on as a substitute.

Emery said Watkins feels “fantastic,” but he is still to decide what team to play against French champion PSG.

“I don’t have my idea in my mind for the starting 11, I have my idea, a plan, overall 90 minutes or extra-time or penalty shootout for the match tomorrow,” he said. “Every player has to know their task on the field, and they have to understand as well, how we manage the match emotionally and tactically as well, in case they are on the field to do their task.”

Emery said his players have to believe they can produce an epic comeback to book their place in the semifinals.

“We want to write here the history with Aston Villa,” he said.