10-man Roma reaches last 16 despite loss to Villarreal

Roma completed the job of advancing to the Europa League Round of 16 despite a 1-0 loss Thursday to Villarreal at the Stadio Olimpico.

Rafael Borre capitalised on Thomas Vermaelen's defensive error to score on 15 minutes for the spirited visitor, but it was Luciano Spalletti's side which earned a deserved 5-1 aggregate win. The comprehensive victory in the first meeting - which featured an Edin Dzeko hat trick - made short work of a club which was beaten in last season's semi-final by Liverpool and is still in with a chance of Champions League qualification in La Liga.

And after Antonio Rudiger's second yellow card on 81 minutes, Roma played out the remainder of the two-legged affair a man down.

There are plans afoot for the Giallorossi to depart its cavernous concrete home in northern Rome for more futuristic digs in the south of the Italian capital, and there's legitimate hope they can pick up an early leaving gift after this straight-forward progression. The last piece of silverware brought back to the ground was after Lazio's Coppa Italia triumph in 2013.

Roma will learn its opponent in the final 16 in Friday's unseeded draw, with the matches to be played in principle March 9 and 16.