Leicester v Roma: Foxes will avoid defeat against Mourinho's men

Leicester 2.3411/8 v Roma 3.412/5; The Draw 3.4549/20
Thursday 28 April, 20:00
Live on BT Sport 3

Leicester look for second successive trophy

It's not been a great season for Leicester, but it has the potential to end memorably, as they take on Roma in the semi-final of the Europa Conference League.

The Foxes are only tenth in the Premier League, which is disappointing compared to their performances over recent seasons. Yet they still have the chance to win their first piece of European silverware and if they succeed, it will be the second successive season in which Brendan Rodgers has delivered a trophy.

Leicester will be looking to make home advantage count in this first-leg. Recent form suggests that they will be difficult to defeat at the King Power Stadium, where they are unbeaten in nine games (W5 D4).

Rodgers will definitely be without the injured Ryan Bertrand and Wilfred Ndidi for this match. Other players who are doubtful are Danny Ward, Jonny Evans and Boubakary Soumare.

Can Mourinho deliver in first season again?

Jose Mourinho returns to England with his Roma side, for the first time since being sacked by Spurs last season.

The Portuguese manager reached the League Cup final with Tottenham, but was sacked before the game took place. He had won a trophy in his first season in each of his previous six jobs and now has a chance to do so again with Roma.

There is less pressure on Mourinho to deliver trophies at Roma than in his previous jobs, but it would be a sign of progress in a season in which the team look likely to miss out of Champions League qualification. A 3-1 defeat at Inter over the weekend, leaves Roma in fifth place, eight points behind fourth placed Juventus.

In the last round Roma suffered a 2-1 away defeat against Bodo/Glimt, before recovering with a 4-0 victory in the second-leg, in which Nicolo Zaniolo scored a hat-trick. Zaniolo is a doubt for this match with an injury, as are Leonardo Spinazzola and Bryan Cristante.

Leicester will avoid first-leg defeat

It's Leicester that are the favourites at 2.3411/8, with Roma at 3.412/5 and the draw at 3.55/2.

As we mentioned earlier, Leicester's home form suggests that they will at least come out of this match with a draw. This is reinforced by Roma's recent away record, with Mourinho's side winning only one of their last five away games (D2 L2).

If you back Leicester in the Draw No Bet market, you can get odds of 1.674/6. The draw itself at 3.4549/20 is probably the value bet, with Leicester drawing a high percentage of their home games of late.

Roma scoring on road despite poor form

Though Roma are not in the best form away from home, they do normally score, finding the net in each of their last eight away matches. Both teams to score has landed in four of their last five away trips and can be backed at 1.84/5.

If looking to make a Bet Builder, combining both teams to score with Leicester to avoid defeat in the Double Chance market, gives you odds of 2.1511/10 on the Sportsbook. Adding under 3.5 goals to the equation, inflates the odds to 3.613/5.