Liverpool take a 5-2 lead into their Champions League semi-final second leg so they know that a win, draw or even a narrow defeat will secure their place in the final in.
Braces from Mo Salah and Roberto Firmino and a Sadio Mane goal gave the Reds a 5-0 lead in the first leg, before Roma replied with two crucial away goals of their own.
Edin Dzeko and a Diego Perotti ensured that the Italian side have hope to the turn the tie around, with Roma looking to repeat their last round heroics.
The Serie A side eliminated Barcelona, coming back from a 4-1 first leg deficit. Roma are yet to concede at home in the Champions League, but they face top scorers Liverpool, who have scored 44 goals in the tournament so far.
Mo Salah will return to Rome for the first time his club record move to Liverpool. Salah spent two seasons at the Rome club, scoring 29 goals in 65 appearances and he will likely be welcomed by the fans in his former stadium.
With that said, we take a look at the key battles that may decide both sides’ Champions League fate.
Mo Salah vs Juan Jesus
In the first leg, Mo Salah was the Man of the Match. His two goals and two assists put Liverpool in the driving set and Roma could not handle him. Salah tore Roma’s left side apart.
Salah’s trait is cutting in on to his left foot and defenders are expected to acknowledge this. However, his quick feet leave defenders guessing on which side is going and this tends to push them backwards.
Though Salah’s strong side is his left, he can score with his right foot too and this makes him unpredictable. Pace will be key for Liverpool and Roma’s defence are going to have a tough task to keep him quiet.
Sadio Mane vs Federico Fazio
We saw glimpses of a head-to-head battle between these two players and it is likely going to be the same battle in the second fixture too.
Fazio is intelligent and is a strong defender. His height gives him an advantage when it comes to aerial battles, but speed is what he lacks.
Mane has speed to burn and it was shown in the first leg that the Roma defence could not match the Liverpool front three when it came to pace. Mane stretches the opposition, whether that’s pulling them wide to mark him or moving inwards to create space to run into for a through ball.
James Milner vs Radja Nainggolan
James Milner is likely to be tasked with marking duties in this game. Milner is one of the more experienced players in the Liverpool squad and he will be expected to use his intelligence of the game when marking Nainggolan.
The Belgian proved to be a threat when he set up Edin Dzeko for Roma’s first goal and the Reds will need to be alert and close him down quickly when he has the ball to his feet.
Virgil van Dijk vs Patrik Schick
Patrik Schick was a threat to the Reds when he was introduced late in the second half. He had a couple of half chances at goal and Liverpool will have to be alert of his runs.
Van Dijk will likely be aware of Schick’s presence and will have to be alert of his movement. Schick can also play behind the main striker and is very good in the air. Van Dijk is likely to be tasked in shadowing him as well as maintaining a stable back line.
