Roma Suffer Huge Injury Blow During UEL Clash Against Bilbao

Roma failed to beat Athletic Bilbao in their UEFA Europa League opener, but Paulo Dybala’s withdrawal at halftime overshadowed the result. The Argentine forward had to come off at the break after feeling stiffness in his flexor muscle during the first half.

Ivan Juric’s side grabbed the lead midway through the first half as Artem Dovbyk maintained his scoring spree with a brilliant header at the back post. However, Bilbao fought back late through Aitor Paredes to eke out a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Olimpico.

The result pales in comparison with Dybala’s injury. Despite his mercurial talent, the 30-year-old has notoriously struggled with injuries throughout his storied career in Serie A. When fit, he’s unquestionably the best Roma player. But he’s often failed to stay away from the treatment room.

Juric decided to sub his standout performer off at halftime as a precaution. Yet, it’s uncertain whether Dybala would be fit for the upcoming league clash against Venezia. His potential absence is the last thing Roma need as they bid to recover from a dismal start.

After four winless top-flight outings under former manager Daniele De Rossi, Roma finally got into the win column last weekend. Dybala was on the scoresheet as the Giallorossi walloped Udinese 3-0 at home. But the ex-Juventus superstar could skip Venezia’s visit to the capital on Sunday.

Further tests will uncover the gravity of the problem. Until then, Roma fans can only hope it was a false alarm.