Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini claims Bodo/Glimt coach Kjetil Knutsen ‘attacked’ the Serie A side’s goalkeeping coach Nuno Gomes at the end of the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference.

The Norwegian minnows again earned the notable scalp of the Italian heavyweights on Thursday with a 2-1 win at home and are now unbeaten in three meetings for Jose Mourinho’s side this season.

They had fallen behind when Pellegrini opened the scoring but bounced back in style and saw an 89th-minute effort from Hugo Vetlesen spark scenes of wild celebration.

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What was said?

Emotions were still running high as both teams returned to the locker room, with Pellegrini accusing Knutsen of taking things too far as tempers began to boil.

He said Sky Sport Italy“Something really bad just happened. The changing rooms are opposite and Knutsen started to say something to our coach and then attacked.

“It’s an unpleasant act for the competition and fair play. We’re sorry because we came here with respect, but such acts are an insult to Rome and to the competition. It’s a shame.”

Reports in Italy suggest Norwegian police questioned Knutsen, Gomes and the players who witnessed the incident before the two sides set off.

UEFA are currently investigating the alleged post-match physical altercation, while Roma have issued a official statement deal with the incident.

“AS Roma announces that, on Thursday evening, at the end of the match, the Club’s managers and certain members of the technical staff remained inside the Aspmyra stadium until 00:45, with the sole purpose of providing the UEFA and local authorities full details of what happened in the area outside the dressing rooms after the match,” the statement read.

“The club has full confidence in the work of UEFA and its bodies to ensure that the responsibilities for the incident are precisely established, which have already been reminded in great detail to all the representatives of the competent institutions present. on the spot.

“Finally, AS Roma emphasizes that it has always practiced conduct that respects the principles of fair play and the values ​​of sport on and off the pitch: the same principles that we hope will prevail in the second leg. .”

The bigger picture

Roma now have everything to do in the second leg of their continental round of 16, with Bodo/Glimt set to travel to the Stadio Olimpico next Thursday.

Mourinho, who endured a trip to Norway to forget previously suffering a 6-1 loss to the same opposition in October 2021, remains confident his side can prevail.

Further reading

Leicester and PSV played out an entertaining goalless draw at the King Power Stadium to leave their Europa Conference League quarter-final well prepared ahead of next week’s second leg.

Harvey Barnes had Leicester’s best chance of the game at the end of the first half, but his thunderous drive hit the bar as Brendan Rodgers’ side missed a narrow lead in Thursday’s second leg in the Netherlands -Low.

PSV, with 2014 World Cup winner Mario Gotze, started brilliantly and went close when the German was played on goal after breaking the offside trap at only the second minute, to see his effort thwarted by the tense Kasper. Schmeichel.

Leicester then grew in the game and had their own chance to move past, but Kelechi Iheanacho chipped the ball in the 20th minute with only PSV goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo to beat.

Barnes then hit the woodwork for the hosts just before the interval when he played a quick one-two with Iheanacho in the penalty area before seeing his powerful strike cannon roll back from the crossbar.

Five minutes into the second half, huge pleas from PSV fans were ignored by referee Ivan Kruzliak when Cody Gakpo appeared to have been caught by Ricardo Pereira but with no VAR in operation, the match remained without goal.

Leicester struggled to create clean chances after the break and the game fell through, with both sides perhaps fearful of remaining level ahead of next Thursday’s second leg at Philips Stadion. The winner will face Roma or Bodo/Glimt in the last four, with the Norwegian team leading the draw 2-1.

Rodgers: We can win in Holland

Rodgers remains confident Leicester can reach the Europa Conference League semi-finals despite the first leg stalemate.

“We’ve shown enough and seen enough to know we can go out there and win,” he said.

“Anyway, it was always going to be close. You would love to win it, but it didn’t have to be.

“We’ve shown our resilience defensively and we’ll go there with enough hope that they will probably open up a bit more which will give us a bit more space.

“It’s finely balanced, I think it was a good game. PSV were a bit more closed off than normal, so space was limited, but other than their early luck, we defended pretty well.

“We had the two best chances of the game. There weren’t too many chances but that’s what you expect at this point in the competition.

“With a little more finesse and precision in our passes, we could have opened the scoring. We are still well placed.”

Schmidt: It was a clear penalty

PSV wanted a penalty when Pereira slipped and clipped Gakpo early in the second half but, without VAR, their protests were rebuffed.

PSV boss Roger Schmidt said: “I saw it, it was a clear penalty. I’m not a big fan of VAR so I can’t complain. It was a penalty, but that’s part of football where the referees make bad decisions.

“We accept it and we have to focus on next week. We played a very good game. We had to suffer sometimes, but we played against a very good opponent.

“Overall I’m very happy with the performance. In the first half we had some good balls, but in the transitions we weren’t quick enough to be available for forward passes.”

Leicester three games away from first European final

Sky Sports’ Dan Sansom:

“Brendan Rodgers admitted he didn’t even know what the Europa Conference League was when Leicester entered the competition in December, but with his side just three games away from their first European final, he takes it seriously. .

“He named the strongest possible line-up with talisman Jamie Vardy still out through injury, and Thursday night’s impressive performance against a dangerous PSV side highlighted Leicester’s recent upturn in form.

“Despite remaining in 10th place in the Premier League in a disappointing domestic season, the Foxes have recorded six wins and two draws in 11 games in all competitions. They are now unbeaten in seven matches at the King Power. Stadium, with their last defeat against Tottenham on January 19.

“They faced a PSV side who are now unbeaten in 14 games and just four points behind Erik ten Hag’s Ajax in the Eredivisie title race. The Dutch giants, who won the UEFA Cup in 1978 and the European Cup 10 years later, are competing in Europe for the 48th consecutive campaign. This is Leicester’s sixth season playing continental football.

“Leicester’s last European quarter-final was the 2017 Champions League tie with Atletico Madrid. Despite competing with Europe’s top flight five years ago and retiring early from the Europa League this campaign, a first European final in the club’s history is now firmly in sight.

“If they manage to pass what will undoubtedly be a tricky test in the Netherlands next week, they will face Bodo/Glimt or Jose Mourinho’s Roma in the semi-finals. With Marseille, PAOK Salonika, Feyenoord or Slavia Prague, the other remaining players in the competition teams, last season’s FA Cup winners will be confident of going all the way.”

Opta stats: Leicester keep another European clean sheet

• Leicester City have lost just one of their last 16 matches in European competition (W10 D5), keeping eight clean sheets in the process.
• PSV are winless in their last four European matches against English sides (D3 L1), three of them away, and the Dutch side have scored just once in those three matches.
• Leicester have failed to score in European competition for the first time in nine games. The Foxes have averaged 2.5 goals per game in their last eight matches, netting 20 in total.
• PSV have not won any of their last 23 matches in the quarter-finals of major European competition UEFA (D12 L11) since a 4-2 victory against 1. FC Magdeburg in March 1978. Their last win in the first leg at this stage returned in March 1971 against Vorwärts Berlin in the Cup Winners’ Cup.
• Despite coming off in the 67th minute, Leicester’s Kelechi Iheanacho attempted twice as many shots (4) as any other player in the match, with only Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (3) creating more chances than the Nigerian (2).
• Leicester have scored 24 touches in the opposition box against PSV, their record in a single European home game (excluding qualifying) without scoring since their Champions League debut in 2016-17.

What’s next for Leicester?

Leicester return to the Premier League on Sunday hosting Crystal Palace; kick off at 2 p.m. The Europa Conference League quarter-final second leg against PSV will take place on April 14; kick off at 5:45 p.m.

Brendan Rodgers’ side will then travel to Newcastle three days later great sundaylive of Sky Sports Premier League; kick off at 2:15 p.m.

RANGERS DEMAND A return from Ibrox to keep their Europa League hopes alive after a 1-0 loss to Braga in their quarter-final clash in Portugal.

The Light Blues enjoyed good fortune in the first half when the home side hit the post and had the ball in the net only for a VAR check to rule out the goal, but eventually Spain striker Abel Ruiz opened the score in the 40th minute and it turned out to be the difference.

After their loss to Celtic last Sunday, which left them six points behind the Hoops at the top of the Cinch Premiership, the Light Blues now need inspiration to grab a place in the last four in Europe .

After three defeats in their last four outings, Giovanni Van Bronckhorst’s side are not in their best form but will play the second leg at Govan next Thursday, following the final pre-split game against St Mirren on Sunday knowing that they need a step. increase in quality.

Elsewhere, Leicester squandered the chance to take control of their Europa Conference League quarter-final after drawing 0-0 with PSV.

The Foxes travel to Eindhoven next week without a valuable advantage after a balanced and competitive first leg at the King Power Stadium.

Harvey Barnes hit the bar and Kelechi Iheanacho missed a golden first-half chance to give Leicester a crucial break.

In the end, the Foxes were frustrated in a combative encounter, although they needed Kasper Schmeichel to bail them out early when he saved from Mario Gozte.

Leicester’s last European quarter-final was their 2017 Champions League draw with Atletico Madrid. Then they valiantly went down 2-1 on aggregate after two audacious performances and this time they travel to Eindhoven with the tie delicately laid.

Five years ago they were defiant against football’s elite and, after a disappointing early exit from the Europa League in December, the Foxes are three games away from their first European final.

They face a second team in the Eredivisie but outgoing PSV boss Roger Schmidt, who will be replaced by Ruud Van Nistelrooy this summer, insisted before the match that his side could not match Leicester’s individual talent.

Meanwhile, Norway’s Bodo/Glimt picked up a late 2-1 win over Roma tonight.

Bodo/Glimt, who inflicted a superb 6-1 defeat on Jose Mourinho’s side in the group stage, fought back with a goal to beat the Italian giants again.

Lorenzo Pellegrini put Roma ahead just before half-time as the visitors looked to extend a nine-match unbeaten streak in all competitions.

But Ulrik Saltnes equalized for the home side before the hour mark.

Pellegrini saw an effort ruled out for offside 15 minutes from time and Roma suffered another setback in the 89th minute.

Hugo Vetlesen was first on Amahl Pellegrino’s free-kick and nodded a spectacular winner past goalkeeper Rui Patricio.

Roma substitute Eldor Shomurodov had a late chance to equalize but headed just over the crossbar.

Leicester squandered the chance to take control of their Europa Conference League quarter-final after drawing 0-0 with PSV.

The Foxes travel to Eindhoven next week without a valuable advantage after a balanced and competitive first leg at the King Power Stadium.

Harvey Barnes hit the bar and Kelechi Iheanacho missed a golden first-half chance to give Leicester a crucial break.

In the end, the Foxes were frustrated in a combative encounter, although they needed Kasper Schmeichel to bail them out early when he saved from Mario Gozte.

Leicester’s last European quarter-final was their 2017 Champions League draw with Atletico Madrid. Then they valiantly went down 2-1 on aggregate after two audacious performances and this time they travel to Eindhoven with the tie delicately laid.

Five years ago they were defiant against football’s elite and, after a disappointing early exit from the Europa League in December, the Foxes are three games away from their first European final.

They face a second team in the Eredivisie but outgoing PSV boss Roger Schmidt, who will be replaced by Ruud Van Nistelrooy this summer, insisted before the match that his team could not match Leicester’s individual talent.

He argued they needed to use their collective ability and the visitors nearly knocked the hosts out after just two minutes.

The Foxes were caught napping on a through ball and Gotze only had Schmeichel to beat, but the goalkeeper – one of only two survivors from the starting line against Atletico – saved well.

Leicester initially failed to settle, with the lively Noni Madueke in the center of PSV’s early threat, but they gradually began to see more of the ball and struggle for some control.

And they should have gone ahead after 20 minutes, only for Iheanacho to miss his chance.

Joey Veerman was shut down by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and he blocked his pass to send Iheanacho clear after passing Andre Ramalho.

The striker only had Yvon Mvogo to beat, but he fired the ball wide.

It at least proved the openings were there for Leicester and Timothy Castagne was next to threaten, but he failed to upset Mvogo.

The Foxes found the space they needed and they were millimeters away from entering the upcoming break.

Again Dewsbury-Hall was the instigator as he charged down the left and clipped the ball for Barnes to trade passes with Iheanacho and smash an angled drive under the bar from 12 yards out.

The Foxes were the aggressors and PSV lacked the imagination to unblock Leicester since Schmeichel’s first duel with Gotze.

The visitors, however, called for a penalty early in the second half when Ricardo Pereira slipped and appeared to foul Cody Gakpo, but referee Ivan Kruzliak was unmoved and there was no VAR to play. examine.

Iheanacho drilled wide just after the hour mark and, as the game wore on, PSV were clearly happy to bring the draw home at Philips Stadium.

They took the sting out of the game and now Leicester have to do it the hard way in Holland.