UEL | Bologna 1-1 Roma: All square in big Europa League Italian derby

Federico Bernardeschi couldn’t quite get on the end of a Jonathan Rowe through ball in the opening 90 seconds, while Juan Miranda was booked for a foul on Bryan Zaragoza, so will be suspended for the second leg next week.

Zaragoza scuffed the angled drive wide from a promising position and Mile Svilar got a glove to the Bernardeschi pull-back from the by-line, but the Roma goalkeeper needed a fantastic save to fingertip the Bernardeschi left-foot curler out from under the bar.

On the resulting corner to close out half-time, Nicolò Casale and then Tommaso Pobega couldn’t quite steer their headers on target at the back post.

Robinio Vaz replaced Zaragoza and immediately got Joao Mario booked for stopping a counter-attack, but it was Bologna who broke the deadlock.

Jonathan Rowe controlled a loose ball in midfield and rode two tackles, spreading it down the right where Bernardeschi swept first-time with the left boot into the far top corner from 13 yards. It was the Italian veteran’s fourth Europa League goal of the season.

Moments later, Malen controlled a Devyne Rensch pass and clipped the outside of the near post from a tricky angle.

Bernardeschi’s assist sent Pobega clear on goal only for Svilar to sprint off his line for a decisive block, while Hermoso made his comeback after five games out injured.

Bologna paid for a howler from Joao Mario, who failed to control a loose ball and was robbed by Bryan Cristante, then Malen shrugged off Jhon Lucumi and Remo Freuler to roll across for Lorenzo Pellegrini to prod into the empty net from seven yards.

Roma nearly turned it around when Malen slalomed through the defence, but his finish took a double deflection off Casale and Lucumi to bounce off the base of the upright.

Bologna also rattled the frame of the goal at the 89^th minute when Martin Vitik got his head to the Lykogiannis free kick, thumping the crossbar.

The hosts pushed throughout stoppages to make home advantage count, but Pobega and Freuler strikes were off target.

Bologna 1-1 Roma

Bernardeschi 50 (B), Pellegrini 71 (R)

12-03-2026 17:45 1/8 Final Renato Dall'Ara Stadium

Bologna

Roma 1 - 1

Player statistic

1st half

Juan Miranda		13'
		15'		Wesley

2nd half

João Mário		47'
Federico Bernardeschi (Assist: Jonathan Rowe)		50'
Nicolò Casale		57'
		67'

Bryan Cristante     71'

Lorenzo Pellegrini Bologna Roma

Starting lineups

1

Lukasz Skorupski Goalkeeper 26

Jhon Lucumí Defender João Mário Defender 85' 33

Juan Miranda Defender 79' 16 Nicolò Casale Defender 84' 11 Jonathan Rowe Midfielder 71' 19 Lewis Ferguson Midfielder 8

Remo Freuler Midfielder 4 Tommaso Pobega Midfielder 10

Federico Bernardeschi Attacker 9

Santiago Castro Attacker 79' 99

Mile Svilar Goalkeeper 87 Daniele Ghilardi Defender 2 Devyne Rensch Defender 58' 5

Evan Ndicka Defender 43

Wesley Defender 19

Zeki Celik Defender 65' 4

Bryan Cristante Midfielder 8 Neil El Aynaoui Midfielder 66' 61 Niccolò Pisilli Midfielder Bryan Zaragoza Attacker

46'

Donyell Malen Attacker

Substitutes

7

Riccardo Orsolini Attacker

Simon Sohm Midfielder 13 Federico Ravaglia Goalkeeper 6

Nikola Moro Midfielder 21

Jens Odgaard Attacker 30 Benja Domínguez Attacker 14 Torbjørn Heggem Defender 28

Nicolò Cambiaghi Attacker 71' 22

Charalampos Lykogiannis Defender 79' 24

Thijs Dallinga Attacker 79' 41

Martin Vitik Defender 84' 20 Nadir Zortea Defender 85' 92

Stephan El Shaarawy Attacker 95

Pierluigi Gollini Goalkeeper 24 Jan Ziolkowski Defender 17

Manu Koné Midfielder 70 Giorgio De Marzi Goalkeeper

Robinio Vaz Attacker 46' 12

Konstantinos Tsimikas Defender 58' 22

Mario Hermoso Defender 65' 7

Lorenzo Pellegrini Midfielder

66'