Rome-Feyenoord alignment
Rome: Rui Patricio, Smalling, Ibanez, Mancini, Cristante, Karsdorp, Mkhitaryan, Pellegrini, Zalewski, Zaniolo, Abraham.
Substitutions: Vina, Pérez, Shomurodov, Maitland-Niles, Veretout, Kumbulla, Sergio Oliveira, Spinazzola, Bove, Afena-Gyan, Fuzato and El Shaarawy.
Feyenoord: Bijlow, Geertruida, Trauner, Senesi, Malacia, Aursnes, Kokcu, Nelson, Til, Sinisterra, Dessers.
Substitutions: Pedersen, Hendrix, Jahanbakhsh, Linssen, Sandler, Cojocaru, Marciano, Walemark, Hendriks, Toornstra, Jansen, Hall.
Arne Slot speaks: “His resume makes you suspicious of his team,” Slot said of his opposite number. “He is known for winning many finals. But above all we need to focus on your team, tactics and different ways of playing. We don’t have to pay too much attention to the fact that he has such an impressive record in the finals. “
Feyenoord head coach Arne Slot addresses the Fourth Estate ladies and gentlemen during his pre-match media conference. Photo: UEFA / Reuters
Jose Mourinho says: “If I win I will be the first to win all the European trophies, but only if I win,” said the Roma coach before tonight’s match. “When you reach a final after a season of work, the job is done. It’s team time, not individual time.
“I don’t believe in magic potions, I don’t believe in magic spells. There is nothing special to do, just us to be us as a team. Know the qualities we have, know the limitations we have. For me, it doesn’t matter how the final ends, this is a positive season for us. “
Jose Mourinho trained at the Kombetare Arena yesterday. Photography: Paolo Bruno / Getty Images
Tonight’s party officials
- Referee: István Kovács
- Assistant referees: Vasile Marinescu and Ovidiu Artene
- Fourth referee: Sandro Schärer
- Assistant video referee: Marco Fritz
Referee Istvan Kovacs (center) leads his team in a match that runs through the Kombetare Arena. Photo: Valerio Pennicino / UEFA / Getty Images
Updated at 18.33 BST
Early team news …
Along with Chris Smalling in the Roma defense, Tammy Abraham will surely offer English representation in this final, leading the attack of the Italian team after scoring 28 goals in all competitions during a successful first season for the club.
Behind him, Nicolo Zaniolo could start in midfield after playing the final 14 minutes of Roma’s 3-0 win over Torino on Friday after recovering from a muscle injury. Elsewhere in the Roma midfield, Bryan Cristante could start instead of Jordan Veretout. Henrikh Mkhitaryan is also available for the squad after recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered against Leicester.
Also wearing the English flag, Reiss Nelson is likely to line up with Feyenoord at the end of his season at the Dutch club on loan from Arsenal. Feyenoord goalkeeper Justin Bijlow has just returned to training after a temporary injury in March and will probably have to settle for a place on the bench with his fitter Ofir Marciano getting his approval. . Led by Genk, Cyriel Dessers is the top scorer in the competition with 10 goals and will play forward with the Dutch team.
Feyenoord’s Nigerian striker Cyriel Dessers is the top scorer in the European Conference League this season. Photo: Ozan Köse / AFP / Getty Images
Updated at 18.54 BST
ECL Final: Roma – Feyenoord
The Albanian city of Tirana is home to the inaugural Europa Conference League final between Roma and Feyenoord. Welcomed with a bit of suspicion and a bit of mockery about its launch, the competition has proven to be quite a success.
Tonight’s finalists have played 36 games between them in the competition so far and tonight Jose Mourinho or Arne Slot, much less famous, will mark their team’s victory in the first final in history. The start at the 22,000-seat Kombëtare Arena is at 8pm (BST), but stay tuned for news and team training in the meantime.
Feyenoord players train at Kombëtare Arena yesterday. Photography: Alex Pantling / Getty Images
Updated at 18.36 BST