Roma v Leicester betting tips: Frustrated Foxes still in the hunt

Roma v Leicester betting tips, odds and preview

Leicester were the better team in the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final but now head to Italy as the underdogs as we pick out some Roma v Leicester betting tips.

The Foxes had to settle for a 1-1 draw at the King Power Stadium so the tie remains in the balance heading into the second leg.

Thursday’s match at the Stadio Olimpico kicks off at 8pm and is live on BT Sport.

Dominant display encourages Rodgers

Leicester must win the Europa Conference League to be involved in European football next season and still have a chance after the 1-1 draw in the first leg.

Lorenzo Pellegrini’s opener after just 15 minutes stunned the hosts but they recovered to dominate much of the game and were rewarded in the 67th minute when Roma defender Gianluca Mancini was unfortunate enough to divert Ademola Lookman’s ball into his own net.

The Foxes bossed Roma for long spells and will feel they can reach next month’s final in Tirana, despite drifting to 11/4 in the outright Europa Conference League odds, with Roma now the 7/4 favourites.

Leicester were held to a 1-1 draw at home by PSV Eindhoven in the quarter-finals before winning 2-1 in the Netherlands and they are 12/5 for victory here.

The captain takes charge 😤

Nicola Zalewski loses his marker with ease, sliding in Pellegrini who slides it past Schmeichel!

Leicester's good start undone 👊#UECL pic.twitter.com/Tx6Sz7zGDN

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 28, 2022

A Leicester win with both teams scoring is 11/2 while another 2-1 win can be backed at 10/1.

Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers said: “We have no fear, we can go to Rome and play to that level.

“We have a fantastic chance to get to the final. We kept playing our football and the very least we deserved was 1-1. We can go with great confidence to Rome next week.

“I was so pleased with the performance. If you look at the squad and youthfulness of the team, to play at that level I was so pleased.

“We gave away a sloppy goal, we should defend the throw-in better, but I was so pleased with the team, the technical quality and how we imposed our style.

“It was a shame we couldn’t score more goals but it was a great response to going behind. We know we can travel and get the job done and we are really looking forward to that next week.”

Romans hard to break down

Roma boss Jose Mourinho is no stranger to the business end of European competitions and is closing in on adding the Europa Conference League to his list of continental triumphs.

He will not underestimate Leicester but is hoping home advantage in the Italian capital can give his team the edge in the return leg.

Mourinho said: “The second leg is a final date in Rome, that’s the way we look at it. We don’t think about Albania (the final venue), we think about this final we have to play.

“I believe every Romanista will accept that with great motivation. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, for a team like Leicester it doesn’t make much difference for them to play at home or away.

“They have the maturity, class, experience and what the Premier League represents. For us it makes a difference, to play at home with our 70,000.

“In the first half we played like we wanted to play, in the second half we played like they pushed us to play.”

"Animated" is an understatement when it comes to José Mourinho 😅#UECL pic.twitter.com/wgEz5ny6O9

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 28, 2022

Fifth-placed Roma are out of contention for the Champions League places in Serie A, where they have failed to beat any of the top four teams this season.

They have a formidable home record against teams below them in the table, though, winning 10 and drawing four of those 14 matches.

Only six goals have been conceded in those fixtures following Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Bologna and a home win to nil is an option for Roma v Leicester betting tips at 12/5 while under 2.5 goals is 7/10 ahead of what could be a cagey contest.

Roma v Leicester team news

James Maddison and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are fit for Leicester. The pair missed Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at Tottenham but have travelled with the squad after shaking off hip and calf injuries respectively.

Jamie Vardy is available but Ryan Bertrand and Wilfred Ndidi (both knee) remain out while Nampalys Mendy is ineligible.

View the latest Europa Conference League odds

All odds and markets correct as of date of publication