It was a night of pure chaos and unforgettable drama at the Stadio Olimpico, where Bologna knocked out AS Roma in a breathtaking UEFA Europa League encounter. After a draw in the first leg, the return fixture in Rome delivered a goal fest, ending 3–3 in regular time and leaving fans on the edge of their seats throughout.

Bologna struck first and kept striking. Alexis Saelemaekers opened the scoring, before Federico Bernardeschi coolly converted from the penalty spot. Later, Santiago Castro restored the visitors’ lead once again. Yet every time the Rossoblù surged ahead, AS Roma responded with resilience. Evan Ndicka, Donyell Malen, and Lorenzo Pellegrini each found the net to drag the Giallorossi back into the contest and force extra time.

With momentum swinging wildly, the game entered extra time still finely balanced. But it was Bologna who found the decisive moment. A slick, well-worked move involving Thijs Dallinga ended with Nicolò Cambiaghi producing a composed finish that clipped the post on its way in — a goal worthy of winning any tie of this magnitude.

AS Roma, hampered by the absence of key attacking figures such as Artem Dovbyk and Paulo Dybala, simply could not mount a fourth comeback.

2025-26, Europa League

AS Roma - Bologna 3:4 (1:2)
Goals: Rowe J., 22 (0:1); Ndicka, 32 (1:1); Bernardeschi, 45 (penalty) (1:2); Castro S., 58 (1:3); Malen, 69 (penalty) (2:3); Pellegrini Lo., 80 (3:3); Cambiaghi, 111 (3:4)

AS Roma: Svilar; Ndicka; Çelik (Zaragoza Br., 109); Hermoso; Mancini G.; Wesley; Cristante; Koné M. (Pellegrini Lo., 20); Pisilli (El Aynaoui, 105); El Shaarawy (Vaz R-o, 57); Malen
Substitution: Pellegrini Lo. (from 20); Vaz R-o (from 57); El Aynaoui (from 105); Zaragoza Br. (from 109)
Bench: Gollini; Rensch; Tsimikas; Ziolkowski; Ghilardi
Yellow Cards: Çelik 55

Bologna: Ravaglia F.; João Mário Neto; Zortea; Lucumí; Vitík (Casale, 73); Pobega (Moro N., 91); Freuler (Heggem, 114); Ferguson L.; Castro S. (Dallinga, 73); Bernardeschi (Orsolini, 79); Rowe J. (Cambiaghi, 73)
Substitution: Casale (from 73); Cambiaghi (from 73); Dallinga (from 73); Orsolini (from 79); Moro N. (from 91); Heggem (from 114)
Bench: Pessina; Lykogiannis; Sohm S.; Domínguez B.; Odgaard
Yellow Cards: Vitík 26; Zortea 71; Lucumí 76; Freuler 108; Ferguson L. 116