ROMA manager Claudio Ranieri is expecting a tough game against Fulham today in their Europa League showdown at Stadio Olimpico. The Giallorossi, still without star striker Francesco Totti through a knee injury, go into the game third in Group E, one point behind the second-placed Fulham and two behind leaders FC Basel with three games remaining.

Fulham arrive in Rome on the back of a 3-1 win over Liverpool in the Premier League and Ranieri, a former manager of Chelsea, knows his team will be put to the test.

“Fulham did well against Manchester City and they won convincingly against Liverpool. We expect a diffi cult game,” said Ranieri.

“We knew that would be the case in our fi rst game against them where we managed to come home with a point from a 1-1 draw.”

Ranieri believes the biggest threat Fulham pose will be on the counterattack.

“It’s going to be complicated because Fulham will try to hit us in fast counterattacks,” said Ranieri.

However, he hopes his team will cope and improve in the hope of progressing to the next round.

“We have two important games at home and we want to keep going in Europe,” said Ranieri. “Of course we are missing the Champions League but that by no means suggests that we don’t consider this competition important. “We want to go as far as possible in this tournament.”

Roma halted a run of three consecutive Serie A defeats with a 2-1 win over Bologna last weekend to climb to 14th place in the table. Ranieri admits his team are still a long way from being at their best. “We are missing a striker,” said Ranieri.

“We create chances but we are lacking a player that fi nishes them off, we simply don’t seem to score many goals.”

A win will be a big morale boost for the Giallorossi leading into Sunday’s game away to Serie A leaders Inter Milan.