Today in the evening we will find out the second participant of the UEFA Champions League final for the 2017-18 season. They will fight for the prestigious trophy against Madrid's "Real" club.
In the Italian capital, "Roma" will clash with "Liverpool". In this duel, the "Romans" hope to create another miracle, but the "Reds" are in an incredibly good situation.
The match will start at 21:45 Lithuanian time.
Match in Liverpool
Immediately after the draw ceremony, there were no doubts that "Liverpool" is the favorite of this pair, but few could have thought that in the first match seven goals would be scored.
Playing as if on wings, Jurgen Klopp's proteges crushed the visitors from Italy. "Liverpool" trounced the opponents with a score of 5-0, but "Roma" managed to score two goals and thus keep at least minimal chances to reach the final.
The match did not promise such a goal rain at the beginning, as the first goal was scored only in the 35th minute, and before that, "Liverpool" had shaken the opponent's goal structure with Aleksandar Kolarov. But then Mohamed Salah started to show his class - the Egyptian scored two goals to his former team before the end of the first half.
In the second half, "Liverpool" did not stop attacking - Sadio Mane scored the third goal, and the opponents' humiliation was completed with two precise strikes by Roberto Firmino.
After such a feast, the "Reds" unexpectedly conceded two goals towards the end of the match - Edin Dzeko scored once, and later Diego Perotti scored accurately from the penalty spot.
The result looks truly impressive, and it is hard to believe that "Roma" can stop "Liverpool's" attack, but surprises with this team are no longer possible - in the quarterfinals, the "Romans" also managed to erase a three-goal deficit after the first match against "Barcelona" and sensationally reach the semifinals.
The "Roma" team needs another miracle here - a victory by a score of 3-0 or an even bigger difference. The hosts' chances of survival would be dashed by just one "Liverpool" goal, as then "Roma" would have to score at least four.
Results over the weekend
The teams had different performances in their domestic leagues over the weekend, but neither suffered a defeat.
The "Roma" team had to add confidence before the most important match of the season with a victory in the "Serie A" match against "Chievo", which ended with a score of 4-1. All three attacking players scored accurately for "Roma" - Edin Dzeko scored two goals, while Patrick Schick and El Shaarawy added one each.
Liverpool did not have remarkable performance in the English Premier League - at home, they did not defeat the league's outsider "Stoke City", the match ended goalless.
It was only the second match in the last ten for Liverpool where they failed to conquer the opponents' goal. Liverpul's "Everton" also managed to keep their goal dry against the "Reds".
Both clubs occupy identical positions in the league tables - third. It is very likely that these teams will also be seen in the UEFA Champions League tournament next season. One of them can secure a ticket for the following years' tournament by winning this tournament.
Team news
There are problems in just one team - "Liverpool". The visitors arrived in Rome without several players - Joel Matip, Emre Can, Joe Gomez, and Alex-Oxlade-Chamberlain stayed in Liverpool. Adam Lallana also traveled to Rome, but he will not be able to appear on the field due to injury.
Over the weekend, Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold experienced some setbacks, but it is certain that both will help their team. "Liverpool" hopes to develop the same match as at home, replacing the injured Chamberlain with Georginio Wijnaldum.
"Liverpool" has big problems in the defensive line, where they have almost no substitutions. The current remaining trio has accumulated a lot of playing experience, but Jurgen Klopp does not have an equal replacement on the bench for any of the mentioned players.
"Roma" does not have such problems in the squad - all key players are ready to play. Due to injuries, lesser-known names Rick Karsdorp and Gregoire Defrel are still not playing.
Predicted starting lineups:
"Roma": (4-3-3) Alisson; Alessandro Florenzi, Federico Fazio, Kostas Manolas, Aleksandar Kolarov; Kevin Strootman, Daniele De Rossi, Radja Nainggolan; Diego Perotti, Edin Dzeko, Cengiz Under.
"Liverpool": (4-3-3) Loris Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Dejan Lovren, Virgil van Dijk, Andrew Robertson; Georginio Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson, James Milner; Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane.
Interesting facts
No team in Champions League history has been able to recover and progress to the next stage after losing away by a score of 2-5.
Liverpool has never lost to Roma in the Champions League - two victories and as many draws. One of the draws was recorded in the final when the "Reds" surpassed their opponents in a penalty shootout.
This is the 10th Champions League semifinal for the Liverpool team. Out of all the attempts, the "Reds" have reached the final seven times and had to settle for failure only twice.
For Roma, this is the first Champions League semifinal in 34 years. In the semifinals of the 1983-84 season, they eliminated "Dundee United" and faced "Liverpool" in the final.
Roma is still the only team that has not conceded a goal in all their Champions League home matches this season.
On the other hand, Liverpool is the only team in Champions League history that has not experienced defeat this season - seven wins and four draws.
Liverpool is also the only club in the history of the Champions League where three players - Salah, Firmino, and Mane - have scored over eight goals.
