Roma coach Rudi Garcia has insisted that his side should have beaten Fiorentina in their Europa League meeting on Thursday evening.

The game ended 1-1 after Josip Ilicic put the home side ahead early on, only for Seydou Keita to equalise 13 minutes from time.

Roma's Adem Ljajic also missed the chance to give his side two vital away goals, as he failed to score a penalty late on.

Garcia believes that his side had enough chances in the game to win the all-Italian fixture.

"We deserved to win. We had lots of chances to win the match. We were up against it in the first 20 minutes, but then we turned a corner and stopped giving it away in midfield," the 51-year-old said, according to Goal.com.

"We were ambitious and got a goal, which is always important when you're playing away in a European knock-out tie. We shouldn't just play to get through on away goals in the second leg - we have to try and win the game.

"In the last 70 minutes tonight it was the same Roma side I saw against Juve last Monday and Feyenoord in the Europa League last 32. We showed character and personality. We built the play well and showed we could stretch Fiorentina. It was a good performance from us this evening and I think we could have got the victory."

The second leg in Rome is to be played next Thursday, giving the winner a place in the quarter-finals.