Why will Liverpool go through tonight?
Because Roma can’t win 3-0 against a team with so much energy, firepower and width.
Can Liverpool win tonight’s second leg?.
It’s possible. They start the game 5-2 up. Every Champions League manager would love to start a second leg 5-2 up. But, realistically, Liverpool won’t keep a clean sheet. Roma looked superb in the first 20 minutes at Anfield and the under-rated Edin Dzeko could get a goal or two.
You really fancy Liverpool to beat the European Champions?
Absolutely. Unless the ref gives Real two soft penalties.
What do Liverpool have that Arsenal lack?
Heroics. I enjoy memorable deeds that echo down the decades. Liverpool were 3-0 down to Milan at half-time in Istanbul. Then Stevie G turned the game upside down and Liverpool won their fifth European Cup.
Have you read a lot of previews today?
No. But I’ve enjoyed Klopperpool from day one and today I saw Klopp say, “We have to fight for our dreams.” I planned to read the previews just to fill in time before kick-off. But my day hasn’t worked out that way and I only saw Henry Winter in The Times : Jurgen Klopp, who somehow manages to mix an almost manic passion for football with complete perspective, got it right again when talking at the Stadio Olimpico before training last night. “It’s a football game and the fight around the game is only on the pitch.”
So you’ve lost a whole day doing nothing?
Yes. But I’ve been doing four hours every morning on a memoir and I’m quite pleased with the way it’s going and have 58,000 words. There are some gaps in the story that need filling in.
Today I was watching an old Sherlock where Moriarty gets Dr Watson’s torso packed with explosives and asks, “Is that a Browning L9A1 in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?
So it’s been a wasted day but we all have them. A friend just sent a chat-show clip of David Bowie talking about going to see the Stones when they only had six fans and Mick got heckled.
TEAMS :
ROMA: Alisson; Florenzi; Manolas, Fazio, Kolarov; De Rossi, Pellegrini, Nainggolan; Schick, Dzeko, El Shaarawy.
Subs: Skorupski, Juan, Under, Gonalons, Gerson, Peres, Antonucci.
LIVERPOOL: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson; Henderson, Milner, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane.
Subs:Mignolet, Clyne, Klavan, Moreno, Ings, Solanke, Woodburn.
Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia).