2 takım şampiyonlar ligi tarihinde 3. kez karşı karşıya gelecekler. daha önce 2006-07 grup maçlarında karşı karşıya gelmişler ve 2 takımda birer galibiyet almıştı. roma 4-0 yenmiş ve 1-0 yenilmişti.
philippe mexès hopes as roma raise their game defensively as they take on fc shakhtar donetsk, with the centre-back noting: "we have conceded too many goals and must improve."
with philippe mexès serving a two-match suspension for insulting a fourth official, as roma have lost their last two serie a games, conceding seven goals in the process. the defender is available again for wednesday's uefa champions league round of 16 opener against fc shakhtar donetsk, but knows his side's rearguard troubles are far from over.
the 28-year-old was quick to apologise for the incident at the end of roma's 1-1 draw with brescia calcio on 2 february which earned him the suspension. "i made a mistake and i'm really sorry," he said. "i tend to talk a bit too much, but that is my nature." however it is sloppy defending, rather than loose talk, which he feels has been roma's big problem of late.
roma fell 2-0 at home to ssc napoli at the weekend, yet the 20-times french international said "even if i had played, it doesn't mean we wouldn't have lost". the problem, he believes, is carelessness. "we concede too many goals and we have to improve," he said. "we have had our share of bad luck at times, but it's clear that if we took more care it would be easier to win games."
in the run-up to shakhtar's visit, there have been unsettling stories off the pitch at roma; the club are said to be awaiting an approach from potential new owners while several players' contracts are set to expire this summer. former aj auxerre prodigy mexès has faced questions over his own future, but is determined to live in the present with such a crucial task at hand as shakhtar.
"at this moment, all i want to think about is playing as well as i can," he explained. "after all, there is no telling whether in my next match i won't have an accident, be ruled out for six months, and end up with no contract. i have to be professional and i want to do the best i can for this team, where i have been playing for seven years. i have spent the most important part of my career here."
mexès is also playing some of his best football, as he demonstrated when starring in france's 1-0 friendly win over brazil at stade de france last wednesday; it was a game in which he was up against shakhtar midfielder jadson for over half an hour. mexès was not a member of the side that beat shakhtar 4-0 in rome in the 2006/07 uefa champions league group stage, and goes into the rematch with an open mind.
"we will be facing a very strong team," said mexès, who joined the giallorossi from auxerre in 2004. "this match could be a good medicine for roma and we will do our best."
the ukrainian side came from a goal down to take a firm grip on the tie and move within sight of a place in the quarter-finals for the first time.
fc shakhtar donetsk's first venture into the uefa champions league knockout stages is well set to continue to the quarter-finals after they overcome as roma in a vibrant game.
mircea lucescu's men rallied after falling behind to simone perrotta's 28th-minute header, jadson replying within 60 seconds and douglas costa and luiz adriano putting the visitors in command before the break. although jérémy menez gave the hosts hope with a wonderful strike in the second period, the ukrainian champions will host claudio ranieri's side in three weeks' time protecting a 3-2 lead.
shakhtar looked fresh after their winter break and began brightly. willian was particularly dangerous, racing down the left to supply a cross for jadson, whose shot was blocked by john arne riise, and bursting through the midfield before being felled by the norwegian full-back. the brazilian's resultant free-kick was pushed unconvincingly over the bar by doni.
buoyed on by the curva sud the hosts came to life. nicolás burdisso spurned a gilt-edged opportunity to break the deadlock after losing tomáš hübschman, only to head francesco totti's corner wide from five metres. the giallorossi were soon in front, though, daniele de rossi recovering a loose ball following another corner and sliding a pass to rodrigo taddei. perrotta rose at the far post to meet his cross and rãzvan raţ could only help it over the line.
no sooner had they fallen behind than shakhtar drew level. willian again found space to cross from the left after a give-and-go with jadson and, despite roma clearing, jadson was on hand to fire in a low shot which deflected off de rossi and left doni helpless. the home rearguard suddenly looked vulnerable at every shakhtar attack and lucescu's charges took the lead on 36 minutes, douglas costa running from deep, cutting in from the right and curling an unstoppable shot past doni.
roma looked shell-shocked and uncertain as to how to cope with the flair and pace of the pitmen's lightning counterattacks. matters only worsened four minutes before half-time when riise slipped in possession, enabling douglas to race down the right and set up luiz adriano for his fourth uefa champions league goal.
the home side had it all to do but rallied after the break, totti and menez growing in influence as the match wore on. indeed it was the frenchman – suspended for the second leg, as is marco cassetti – who reduced the arrears in the 61st minute, shaking off jadson's attentions before sending a delightful effort high past andriy pyatov from 20 metres.
roma were now playing with more confidence but as they pushed forward laid themselves open to the counter-punch. twice doni denied luiz adriano with lunging tackles more in keeping with a full-back, while henrik mkhitaryan's drive fizzed just wide.
the introduction of marco borriello gave the home attack more impetus, the italian international threatening with a header and shot in the last ten minutes. paolo castellini, totti and de rossi also forced pyatov into late action but the pitmen held on for a famous victory.
yardımcı hakemler: bertino miranda (por), joão santos (por)
4. hakem: joão capela (por)
çzigi hakemleri: carlos xistra (por), artur soares dias (por)
roma: doni (gk), philippe mexès, mirko vučinić (dk. 68 marco borriello), francesco totti (c), rodrigo taddei, daniele de rossi, john arne riise (dk. 46 paolo castellini), simone perrotta, nicolás burdisso, marco cassetti, jérémy menez
douglas costa'ın skoru 2-1 yapan uzaktan golü gerçekten nefisti. bu golden 5 dakikas sonra john arne riise'nin kendi sahalarında kaleye yakın taç çizgisinde ayağın kayması ile topu kaybetmesi ve ardından luiz adriano'nin skoru 3-1'e getirmesi.
maçın 2. yarısında costa'nın golüne nazire edercesine (costanın attığı kaleye) bence daha nefis bir uzak şut ile 90'ı bulan jérémy menez'in golü iste 5 gol arasında en nefisi idi...
