Leeds United duo have night to forget as loan club suffer surprise defeat and problems mount

The on-loan duo both started for Jose Mourinho’s side at the Luigi Ferraris Stadium in midweek as Roma were beaten at the hands of fellow Serie A outfit Genoa.

Llorente was substituted after 24 minutes with an injury, but had already witnessed the side go a goal down in the fifth minute, courtesy of an effort by Icelandic forward Albert Gudmundsson.

Bryan Cristante did equalise for the capital club shortly before Llorente was withdrawn but on the stroke of half-time, Mateo Retegui restored Genoa’s advantage, which they subsequently did not let slip.

Morten Thorsby and Junior Messias added to Roma’s misery during the second half as Mourinho’s men could not find a route back into the game. Kristensen, who completed 90 minutes, has only tasted victory once in five outings since arriving at Stadio Olimpico this summer. The Dane was also omitted from Roma’s UEFA Europa League squad list due to restrictions imposed on the Italian club in registering new players for that particular competition.

Aside from a 7-0 drubbing of Empoli earlier this month, Roma have found form hard to come by during the 2023/24 season and currently sit 16th in Italy’s top flight, two points above the relegation zone.

Despite their sluggish start in the league, Roma were bookmakers’ favourites for their midweek fixture in the northern city of Genoa, however it was to be the home side who came out on top, in resounding fashion.

After six rounds of matches in Serie A this season, only Empoli and Sassuolo have conceded more times than the Giallorossi.

Neither Kristensen or Llorente are expected to return to Elland Road upon the expiry of their loan deals, but Leeds do retain hope that a season away from West Yorkshire will restore the players’ value in the transfer market, with a view to a potential sale in both cases next summer.