Manchester United vs Roma: Complete head-to-head record
Manchester United and Roma stand in each other’s way for a place in the 2021 Europa League final and the chance for either to lift a major continental trophy. Indeed, both might think they landed the tougher of the possible semi-final draw.
The two sides have only met on six previous occasions before now and not at all in the last ten years.
Here’s a look at United’s full head-to-head record against Roma.
1. Roma 2-1 Man Utd - April 2007
They are two historic clubs that have each competed at the highest level in European competition, but United and Roma had never previously met before they were drawn together in the Champions League quarter-finals of the 2006/07 season.
Both had knocked out French opposition in the last 16, with United winning 1-0 home and away against Lille and Roma seeing off a dangerous Lyon side.
Roma took an early advantage in the tie by winning 2-1 at Stadio Olimpico, with goals from Rodrigo Taddei and Mirko Vucinic coming either side of an away goal from Wayne Rooney.
The game was marred by violence in the stands, with missiles thrown between both sets of supporters and local riot police dishing out heavy-handed punishment to the travelling fans. The Rome police chief defended the actions, although Italy’s interior minister later admitted that excessive forced was used by officers inside the stadium.
2. Man Utd 7-1 Roma - April 2007
14 English fans and seven from Italy were arrested prior to the return leg at Old Trafford as bad blood spilled over from the first game six days earlier.
On the pitch, United made amends for the first leg defeat and blew Roma away with an utterly stunning performance that resulted in a 7-1 annihilation on the night, and an 8-3 aggregate win.
Michael Carrick got the ball rolling with his first Champions League goal just 11 minutes in, with Alan Smith and Wayne Rooney making it 3-0 inside 20 minutes. Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first Champions League goal shortly before half-time and then made it 5-0 soon after, before Carrick got his second of the night to make it 6-0 to United by the hour mark.
Daniele De Rossi’s volleyed consolation for Roma was arguably the pick of the goals, although it meant little, while Patrice Evra rounded off the United scoring late on.
3. Man Utd 1-0 Roma - October 2007
Within a few months, United and Roma were quickly paired together again in the autumn of 2007 when they found themselves in the same group for the 2007/08 Champions League, alongside Dynamo Kyiv and Sporting CP.
Wayne Rooney continued his strong scoring record against Roma, finding the net for the third consecutive game. His 70th-minute finish proved to be the only goal of a tight game that produced few chances for either side.
4. Roma 1-1 Man Utd - December 2007
The matchday six group meeting between United and Roma back at Stadio Olimpico in December 2007 was a dead rubber, with both teams already assured of a place in the knockout rounds.
United had enjoyed a 100% record in the previous five games of the group stage and went ahead through 20-year-old centre-back Gerard Pique in the first half.
Brazilian winger Mancini put Roma back on level terms midway through the second half and that was how it remained.
5. Roma 0-2 Man Utd - April 2008
Having never played each other before 2007, United and Roma couldn’t get away from each other by 2008 and again met in the quarter-finals of the 2007/08 Champions League.
The open draw paired them together and the first leg was to be played at Stadio Olimpico. But while Roma had managed a decent home record against United in the prior games, this time they had no answer and were beaten 2-0 by the eventual champions.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the crucial first goal with an iconic bullet header in the first half, while Wayne Rooney scored his fourth goal in five games against the side from the Italian capital. The two away goals meant a commanding aggregate lead ahead of the return leg in Manchester.
6. Man Utd 1-0 Roma - April 2008
United had already done the bulk of the work in the away leg, although they avoided an early scare at Old Trafford when De Rossi blasted a penalty high over the bar that could have given Roma a lifeline in the tie.
In the end, Carlos Tevez scored for the hosts with a diving header with 20 minutes of the game remaining, extending United’s aggregate lead and killing off any Roma hopes of a comeback.
United went on to narrowly beat Barcelona in the semi-finals and prevailed on penalties against Chelsea in a famous all-English final in Moscow to lift the trophy.
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