Europa League: Ivorian international Evan Ndicka hails ‘just beautiful’ Roma victory over Nice after scoring

Roma’s Ivorian defender Evan Ndicka described his goal and his team’s 2-1 win away at Nice in the Europa League as “just beautiful”, underlining the sense of satisfaction in the Italian camp after Thursday night’s result.

Ndicka opened the scoring with a well-timed header before Gianluca Mancini added a second to secure Roma’s first three points of the group stage in France.

The victory not only strengthens their start to the competition but also sends a message about their intent to go deep in Europe this season.

“Europe is always beautiful, but when you win it’s even more beautiful,” the 26-year-old said after the game. “We’re happy with the coach and his staff, we feel good.”

On his goal, Ndicka credited the understanding he has built with his teammates during set-pieces.

“I go to the near post because I know Pellegrini takes the corners there, with a ball like that it’s easy to score,” he explained, highlighting Roma’s rehearsed routines in training.

The defender’s performance was another demonstration of his growing influence under manager Daniele De Rossi.

Ndicka, who joined Roma from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023, has steadily become a key figure in the club’s backline, combining defensive solidity with a knack for contributing in attack.

Roma’s win at Nice also gave their supporters a glimpse of the resilience and structure Gasperini has instilled since taking charge.