Wait for it…the tie between Liverpool and AS Roma is not over by a country mile. Those two goals scored in the last 10 minutes at Anfield last Tuesday gave abounding hope and hope was all Eusebio Di Francesco’s men need as they march unto the Stadio Olimpico pitch later tonight.
The Italian police are on high alert with the violence that erupted in Liverpool last week but we will witness the Olimpico packed and feverish on Wednesday.
A former Giallorossi, Vincent Candela says, “Everyone here believes that Roma can get through, just as they should.
“The two late goals at Anfield have given everyone hope and I believe too. They have to play the perfect game, just like they did against Barcelona because Liverpool are better than Barça in my opinion.
“If everything goes our way then Roma can do it. In the capital, everyone is hoping and believing.”
| Stats | AS Roma | Liverpool |
|---|---|---|
| Chances Created | 124 | 136 |
| Shot Accuracy | 0.5 | 0.57 |
| Errors Leading to Goals | 2 | 2 |
| Goals Scored | 17 | 38 |
| Goals Conceded | 17 | 9 |
Apart from the two goals, Roma would believe if they could just play the way they did in the first 25 minutes. They upset Liverpool’s rhythm, created one-on-one situations all across the pitch with Radja Nainggolan biting into tackles and shackling Liverpool captain, Jordan Henderson.
Roma will have to believe without the key absentees – Kevin Strootman and Diego Perotti while Liverpool must continue with Giorginio Wijnaldum instead of the critically injured Alex Oxlade Chamberlain.
Current form: AS Roma [W-L-W-W-D]; Liverpool [D-W-D-W-W]
Head to head
24/04/18 UCL Liverpool 5 – 2 AS Roma
02/08/16 CLF Liverpool 1 – 2 AS Roma
24/07/14 CLF Liverpool 0 – 1 AS Roma
25/07/12 CLF Liverpool 1 – 2 AS Roma
19/03/02 UCL Liverpool 2 – 0 AS Roma
Jurgen Klopp, despite the loss of his ‘brain’, Zeljko Buvac on the eve of this match believes history counts for those who make it. “The story of Liverpool in Rome is great, but nobody here thinks it helps a lot that our grandfathers won here.
“It’s just a game in a wonderful stadium, in a wonderful city, against a very strong side. Creating history does not happen because someone said it before.”
Klopp also said, “I don’t think we are through, but I don’t think we’re in a bad situation. Roma have not conceded at home in the Champions League, right? We’ve not lost in the Champions League yet,” he added.
Di Francesco added: “We know it will be difficult but it was difficult against Barcelona and we did it.” Definitely, something will give tonight as Real Madrid awaits the winner.
Words before the war
“We are going to play a Champions League semi-final in front of 70,000 people, are you expecting a team that will just surrender? No. We’ll be up for the challenge – the team will give everything they have.” – Eusebio Di Francesco
“We are here to fight for our dreams, and we want to go to the final. A lot of people might think Roma have only to win 3-0, but that’s quite a result. We’ll be there as well – we won’t stay in the dressing room! This is a big opportunity.” – Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool Manager
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