Houssem Aouar benched for AS Roma vs. Brighton Europa League clash

Algerian international Hakim Ziyech was notably absent from the starting lineup of his Italian club AS Roma as they faced off against Brighton at the Stadio Olimpico.

The match, scheduled for Thursday, forms part of the Europa League’s round of 16 fixtures.

Ziyech’s absence from the starting eleven has become customary since the arrival of coach Di Rossi, who took over the managerial reins from the ousted Jose Mourinho.

The return of the team’s star player, Dybala, has only added to Ziyech’s struggles to secure a regular spot in the squad as Roma strives to achieve new European success.