Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 3:50 PM• Rian Rosendaal • Last update: 16:20

Another setback for AS Roma in the run-up to the diptych with Ajax in the quarter finals of the Europa League. Il Messaggero reports on Tuesday that Henrikh Mkhitaryan is almost certainly missing from the first meeting between the two clubs on April 8 in the Johan Cruijff ArenA. The wing attacker sustained a calf injury against Shakhtar Donetsk in the previous round and an investigation showed on Tuesday that he will have to recover for several weeks.

It is currently uncertain whether Mkhitaryan will be fit in time for the return match against Ajax in the Stadio Olimpico on April 15. The former Arsenal and Manchester United player has already been involved in eighteen goals from Roma this season and without him, coach Paulo Fonseca’s side lost the last two games. Mkhitaryan is no stranger to Ajax, which lost 0-2 to Manchester United in the 2017 Europa League final. The Armenian winger signed for the second goal of almost four years ago the Red Devils.

Fonseca was also confronted with bad news from the infirmary on Monday. Marash Kumbulla has suffered a knee injury with the Albanian national team and the 21-year-old defender has to look back at least four weeks. It therefore seems out of the question that Kumbulla will be fit in time for the European meetings with Ajax next month. Kumbulla sprained his right knee and suffered a tear in his meniscus during the international match with Albania. The basket player played the entire game against Andorra (0-1 win), so Kumbulla probably suffered the injury during training. AS Roma reports that the Albanian, who also has an Italian passport, does not need surgery on his knee.

Fellow defender Chris Smalling is currently recovering from a muscle injury and the Englishman hopes to rejoin AS Roma after the international match. It is still uncertain whether Fonseca dares to throw him in front of the lions against Ajax. There is also a question mark behind the names of Jordan Veretout and Bryan Cristante. The midfielders are currently struggling with a thigh and groin injury, respectively. Ajax’s next opponent in the Europa League will play against Sassuolo on Saturday, before the focus shifts to the first leg in Amsterdam.