Roma won't be able to count on Pellegrini for Athletic clash

Lorenzo Pellegrini, who started the first game for new Roma coach Ivan Juric, will miss the Europa League game against Athletic. The midfielder went off injured in Sunday's Serie A clash with Udinese, taking a heavy blow to his left knee.

Since then, the player has not trained with the rest of his teammates. The coach confirmed at a press conference on Wednesday that he will not be able to count on his captain for the next European challenge.

"Pellegrini won't be there, he already played against Udinese and he's in pain again. I hope to have him for the next game against Venezia," explained Juric in the pre-match press conference ahead of the Europa League clash.

His compatriot Tomasso Baldanzi, who scored his first goal as a Roma player against Udinese on Sunday, is expected to take his place.

He joins Enzo le Fee and Alexis Saelemaekers, as well as Nicola Zalewski, out of the squad for the moment by the decision of the board after he did not accept the transfer agreement to Galatasaray when the Italians and Turks had already closed the deal.