AS Roma secured a 2‑1 victory over VfB Stuttgart at the Stadio Olimpico on 22 January 2026, with Lorenzo Pellegrini opening the scoring and Tammy Abraham restoring the lead. The win moves Roma to the top of Group C in the 2025‑26 UEFA Europa League, while Stuttgart falls to third place and must win their final match to stay alive.
Match Highlights
The game kicked off at 20:00 UTC. Roma, coached by José Mourinho, deployed a 4‑2‑3‑1 formation with Rui Patricio in goal, a back line of Leonardo Bonucci, Chris Smalling, Roger Ibañez and Leonardo Spinazzola, and a midfield duo of Jordan Veretout and Bryan Mina. The attacking trio of Lorenzo Pellegrini, Tammy Abraham and Nicolo Zaniolo supported striker Paulo Dybala.
Stuttgart, under Sebastian Hoeneß, mirrored a 4‑3‑3 set‑up with Kevin Trapp between the posts, defenders Borna Sosa, Timo Berg, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Nadi Sulejmani, and a midfield trio of Mohamed Salah‑Bengui, Serhou Ghannam and Nadi Sulejmani. Their front three featured Sasa Kalajdzic, Josip Ilicic and Karim Adeyemi.
First half: Pellegrini struck in the 27th minute after a precise pass from Zaniolo, curling a left‑footed shot into the top corner. Stuttgart equalised in the 38th minute when Kalajdzic headed in a corner from Ilicic.
Second half: Mourinho shifted Dybala into a deeper play‑making role and introduced Andrea Petagna. In the 71st minute, Abraham headed Dybala’s low cross past Trapp to give Roma the lead. Stuttgart pressed for another goal, but a curling effort from Ghannam hit the post in the 86th minute.
Statistical Snapshot
- Possession: Roma 58 % – Stuttgart 42 %
- Shots (on target): Roma 12 (6) – Stuttgart 9 (4)
- Pass accuracy: Roma 84 % – Stuttgart 78 %
- Corners: Roma 7 – Stuttgart 5
- Fouls: Roma 14 – Stuttgart 12
Background and Recent Form
This was the third European encounter between the clubs. Roma entered the match on a three‑game unbeaten run in the Europa League, having drawn 1‑1 with FC Porto and defeated Celtic 3‑0. The return of Dybala from injury and Zaniolo’s creative surge have boosted their attack.
Stuttgart arrived after a mixed group stage, with a win over FK Partizan, a loss to Olympique Marseille and a draw against Anderlecht. Their progress has relied on the striking partnership of Kalajdzic and Adeyemi, both prolific in the Bundesliga.
Group C Implications
Roma: The win lifts them to the top of Group C with 10 points from five matches, securing a place in the knockout round of 16 and allowing squad rotation for the final group game.
Stuttgart: The defeat drops them to third place with 7 points, leaving them needing a win in the last group fixture against FC Porto to stay in contention. Their goal difference of –1 makes a positive result essential.
Looking Ahead
Roma will focus on the upcoming round‑of‑16 draw, likely retaining the core starting eleven that delivered the home victory. Mourinho’s side aims to build on this momentum for a deep Europa League run.
Stuttgart must regroup quickly. Hoeneß is expected to adjust the midfield, possibly adding a more defensive player to protect the back four while preserving the attacking threat that has produced three group‑stage goals.
