Roma’s European journey ends in the Round of 16. After securing a 2-1 victory in the first leg, Claudio Ranieri’s side fell to Athletic Bilbao, who claimed a commanding 3-1 win at San Mamés. The star of the night was Nico Williams, who delivered a brilliant performance with a decisive brace.
The match turned against Roma early on. In the 11th minute, a costly mistake by Hummels gifted possession to the opposition, and the German defender then brought down Sannadi, prompting referee Turpin to show him a straight red card. Down to ten men, Roma managed to hold on thanks to some outstanding saves from Svilar, but just before halftime, Williams broke the deadlock with a deflected shot off Angeliño.
Bilbao cemented their advantage in the second half, as Berchiche headed home from a corner in the 68th minute. With ten minutes left, Williams sealed the victory with a stunning solo goal. A stoppage-time penalty converted by Paredes provided little consolation for the Giallorossi.
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After the match, Ranieri acknowledged the opponents’ superiority: "The red card was clear, a mistake that cost us dearly, but I have nothing to reproach my players for. They gave everything they had." Meanwhile, Hummels took to Instagram to apologize to fans and teammates: "I made an unforgivable mistake. I'm sorry for letting the team and our supporters down."
