Roma vs. Manchester City: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview
It is a final-night shootout for two of Europe's top teams as Manchester City travel to the Olympic Stadium in Rome with their Champions League dreams hanging by a thread.
The English champions face off against a Roma side who, despite travelling well in Serie A, are not in the equivalent top form of recent years.
City will have to qualify without the brilliance of Sergio Aguero and must win on Wednesday night to make it out of the group stages.
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Here, we provide you with fixture and stream information for the game, as well as a match preview:
When: Wednesday, Dec. 10, at 7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET
Where: Olympic Stadium, Rome, Italy
TV Info: Sky Sports 5 & HD (UK only) Fox (U.S. only)
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK only) FoxSoccer2Go (U.S. only)
Sergio Aguero Absence Will Be Key
Roma and Manchester City have started their domestic seasons in identical fashion, with both clubs being the second-best sides in their respective countries, chasing a recently dominant leader.
But both teams are now just three points behind the current kingpins: Roma are on 32 points in Serie A and City have have accumulated 33 points in the Premier League, as they attempt to retain their crown.
And with the two opponents in almost identical form, City will be looking to nullify Roma's home advantage with a big performance—only a win will see the north-west super-club qualify from Group E, per UEFA.com.
But the Roman team also need a win, in the unlikely event that CSKA Moscow beat Bayern Munich—who are safely through to the knockout rounds and will most likely rest their star brigade.
But City's Achilles' heel has already been compromised with the news that Sergio Aguero will miss the match after sustaining a knee injury.
The prodigal Argentine striker recently twisted his medial ligaments, forcing the player out for at least a month, per Ian Ladyman of the Daily Mail, and his absence will seriously hinder City's chances of qualification.
The 26-year-old has been in the form of his life during the current campaign in all competitions.
He has consistently been on the goal trail—scoring 14 times in 15 Premier League matches and netting five goals in his five Champions League appearances, per WhoScored.com.
His contribution to City cannot be devalued and the team simply do not have another player who has given them so much.
But Roma are not as sharp in defence as they have been in recent times and Manuel Pellegrini will have taken note of this in his preparations for one of his most important games in charge since he took over at the Etihad.
Bleacher Report's Ryan Bailey and Sam Tighe recently discussed Roma's strengths and weaknesses in the Champions League, and gave reasons why the team are so dedicated to their 4-3-3 formation:
And European football expert and writer, Paolo Bandini, recently explained in his blog why City will feel confident travelling to the Italian capital, even with Aguero sidelined for the tie:
"Roma were fortunate to escape with a 2-2 draw at home to Sassuolo this weekend, and, despite the return of Kevin Strootman, do seem to have lost their customary assurance in defence. Their last clean sheet was against Torino on November 9. In four games since, they have given up six goals.
That is no disaster by most teams’ standards, but for a side who conceded only 25 times in their entire 2013-14 Serie A campaign, it is a little more troubling. For City, it is clear that Stevan Jovetic and Edin Dzeko are not equal replacements for Aguero. But on this form, they might not have to be.
"
For City to overcome their Serie A hosts, it is vital that one man regains his form in double-quick time—Yaya Toure.
Without the Ivorian last term, City would have struggled to grab the English league title but his power and dominance from midfield paralysed many opponents.
Roma will not want to make this a high-scoring affair but City will need Yaya to be at his best to damage the scoreline.
If the midfielder can find his best form of 2013-14, then the Italians will find themselves in a quandary they do not wish to face.
Match Preview
Recent Manchester City absentees Vincent Kompany and David Silva could return for the English champions' battle in Rome after missing recent games in the Premier League.
Paul Clennam of Goal.com reports both players are recovering from their recent ailments and could give Pellegrini a vital boost, with two of his more senior professionals returning to the side.
Captian Kompany has not featured in City's last two matches since limping off in the final moments of his team's win at Southampton, and Spanish international Silva has been missing since October after sustaining a knee injury.
Before his knock, Silva had been in imperious form and his recovery will be welcomed, in light of Aguero's recent injury.
Roma recently rested several key players in their last Serie A match—with Francesco Totti, Ashley Cole and Gervinho given the night off to help with their preparations for the visit of City, as reported by Alan Smith of The Guardian.
Smith also highlighted the return to action of highly rated Dutch midfield star, Kevin Strootman—who made his first start for the Giallorossi since having surgery on his knee, eight months ago.
City defender Pablo Zabaleta insists he and his team-mates are ready for the challenge of Roma and their stars, saying to the club's official website they are ready for a hostile reception:
"Rome is always a very difficult place to go and win. They have a very good team and they’re second in the Italian league. As a player, it’s one of those games you really enjoy because you’re playing against a top team. It will be huge.
It will be a great atmosphere too because they’re on the same points and for them to go through would be massive.
"
This will be City's biggest test of the campaign so far and will also be a barometer of their next month of action—in Aguero's absence from the starting line.
The English team will need Yaya to be at his best, but Roma's more languid style could be problematic to City's bustling attack.
Roma will feel they have the automatic edge being the home side, with a point quite likely enough for them to progress. But they will be hoping for a win to make sure they are not looking to the other group match in Germany, nervously expecting Bayern Munich do them a favour against CSKA.
