Roma take a commanding 2-0 first leg lead to Spain in the Europa League Round of 16, as Stephan El Shaarawy and Marash Kumbulla disposed of Real Sociedad at the Stadio Olimpico.
The Giallorossi had Tammy Abraham back in the starting XI for the first time since suffering a nasty cut under his eye that required stitches, but Roger Ibanez was suspended, so Diego Llorente got his first start. The Spaniards made the trip without Aritz Elustondo, Martin Merquelanz and former Roma striker Umar Sadiq, but topped their Europa League group with five straight wins before a meaningless defeat to Manchester United and sat fourth in LaLiga.
Roma took the lead with the first real attack of the game, a classic counter. Rick Karsdorp robbed Diego Rico to send Paulo Dybala running down the right, then Abraham’s cross found Stephan El Shaarawy for an acrobatic volley at the back post. It was the first away goal Real Sociedad have conceded in the Europa League this season.
Real Sociedad reacted strongly, Takefusa Kubo getting away from Lorenzo Pellegrini to thump the base of the upright from the tightest of angles.
Dybala and Pellegrini failed to make the most of a poor back-pass, while Chris Smalling risked an own goal anticipating David Silva at the back stick and Pellegrini couldn’t redirect a Dybala strike on target at full stretch.
Real Sociedad took the initiative, but Abraham almost caught goalkeeper Alejandro Remiro napping when trying to play out from the back, threatening a comical goal.
Llorente’s first start for Roma lasted just 45 minutes, as he went off at the break with an adductor issue. Rico hit a scorcher from distance that was fingertipped round the post by Rui Patricio, even though it seemed to be swinging wide anyway. On the resulting corner, Pellegrini came off worse in an ugly clash of heads with Igor Zubeldia.
Andrea Belotti came off the bench and immediately thumped the frame of the goal after he had been sent running by Gianluca Mancini down the right.