With Real Madrid having held off Bayern Munich in Madrid, one team has clinched their ticket to Kyiv. The other is yet to be decided. Liverpool is in the midst one of the biggest weeks of the Klopp Era and much has already happened: good and bad. The ultimate kicker, however, would be to finish off Roma and set up a date with Real Madrid in the Champions League final.
Team News:
A different type of team news to start off. Zeljko Buvac, Jurgen Klopp's assistant manager and best friend of over 20 years, has taken a leave of absence from the team. Speculation of his agreeing to the Arsenal job or a massive fight between the two have permeated the Liverpool atmosphere with no reason for the leave given, but it goes without saying that the timing of this is poor at best. Known as "the brain" behind the Klopp playstyle, Buvac has been integral in the gegenpressing style of play that Liverpool has become famous for. We can only hope for the best for the two men's relationship.
On the brighter side of things, Roberto Firmino signed a five-year contract with the Reds this weekend as well. Liverpool fans will be pleased that the man integral to their side's eleven has secured a future with the red club of Merseyside. Firmino has proven to be a match made in heaven for Jurgen Klopp's style of play and has turned into the "twenty-goal a season striker" Liverpool fans had been craving for seasons now.
In terms of formal team news, the biggest shock is Joe Gomez missing out on being named in the 23-man squad. Gomez suffered a knock in the early stages of the weekend clash with Stoke, and while he saw out the match, he was deemed not fit enough to take to Rome. Outside of this, no surprise men have been left out and while Alberto Moreno has a slight knock, he seems set to train as well.
Liverpool were given a boost as Adam Lallana was named into the squad, however Klopp says he will not be a part of the match-day squad. Klopp and fans alike will be thrilled to have Lallana seeming closer to return to the fold as midfield depth is growing thin with long-term absences to Emre Can and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. It remains to be seen whether or not Lallana will be able to partake in any further action this season. Additionally, Sadio Mane seems set to return from his rest against Stoke to the starting line-up.
Roma has been dealt to injury blows as Kevin Strootman and Diego Perotti were left out of the squad on the weekend and will be left out of Wednesday's game. Both are importantly losses to the side and it seems likely that Lorenzo Pellegrini and Stephan El Shaarawy will take their spots in the match-day side. Roma's tactics on the weekend indicated a return to a back four on Wednesday, away from the failed experiment of the back three employed last week.
Projected Liverpool Line-Up: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, van Dijk, Lovren, Robertson; Henderson, Milner, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane
Projected Roma Line-Up: Alisson; Florenzi, Fazio, Manolas, Kolarov; Pellegini, De Rossi, Nainggolan; Schick, Dzeko, El Shaarawy
Previewing the Game:
Surely the freshest thought in all Liverpool's fans' minds (even the most confident) is Roma's comeback in the Stadio Olimpico against Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals. This, however, is a Liverpool team that will continually look to attack Roma instead of sitting back. They know just how dangerous a team pinned up against the wall can be and truly had to fight off Manchester City in their quarter-final match-up. Nothing will be taken for granted and the Reds will look to get a couple of away goals in order to feel just that extra bit more secure.
The likely change in formation would be very smart for Roma. Juan Jesus was shown red at the weekend and looked scared at times to go against Mo Salah. Additionally, the back three simply showed the Reds too much space. Massive attacking channels were available for Liverpool to run into at any moment they chose. A back four will hopefully for Roma tighten these spaces between full-back and center-back and thus close down the attacking ways for the Reds.
One of the keys to last game, in addition to the front three, was substitute Gini Wijnaldum's performance. Wijnaldum grew into the game and, as a stark comparison from his normal more possession or holding-midfielder style of play, looked consistently to attack and move into dangerous positions. The Dutchman will likely start again and without Chamberlain and with Henderson occupying that deeper midfield role, I would look for Wijnaldum to continue to try and make forward runs and make himself that fourth option for players like James Milner who will try and attack in hopes of finding a man in red to target.
My personal key battle of the game has to be the one between Eden Dzeko and the two Liverpool center-backs. Dzeko is massive and in stellar form having scored a brace on the weekend and beating Dejan Lovren last week to score one of his own at Anfield. He scored a quick one against Barcelona to spark the comeback and will look to do the same. At the same time, the Liverpool defense cannot simply focus on him. The full-backs will have their hands full with Schick and El Shaarawy, each possessing differing skill sets, so much of the focus of Dzeko will fall to the big men in the middle. Virgil van Dijk will need to continue to be dominant in air and Lovren must be up for this task. Containing Dzeko will go a long way in ensuring no comeback can be reached.
Final Thoughts:
Everyone would love for Mo Salah to go out, score two in the first half again, and let Liverpool fans dream ahead to the final. This I think is too far from reality. Roma's late away goals give them belief. They have done this before, surely they think they can do it again. But Liverpool, too, have held on in a situation like the one they are currently in. Like Klopp says, they must play with courage. They must play with belief.
Score Projection: Roma 1: Liverpool 1:
I'll go conservative here. Roma will score first in the first half, Liverpool will hit back in the second through a counter-attack of their own. This match has massive anticipation around it. A win in Rome would be a treat like none other for Liverpool fans around the globe. 90 minutes from glory awaits.
Team News:
A different type of team news to start off. Zeljko Buvac, Jurgen Klopp's assistant manager and best friend of over 20 years, has taken a leave of absence from the team. Speculation of his agreeing to the Arsenal job or a massive fight between the two have permeated the Liverpool atmosphere with no reason for the leave given, but it goes without saying that the timing of this is poor at best. Known as "the brain" behind the Klopp playstyle, Buvac has been integral in the gegenpressing style of play that Liverpool has become famous for. We can only hope for the best for the two men's relationship.
On the brighter side of things, Roberto Firmino signed a five-year contract with the Reds this weekend as well. Liverpool fans will be pleased that the man integral to their side's eleven has secured a future with the red club of Merseyside. Firmino has proven to be a match made in heaven for Jurgen Klopp's style of play and has turned into the "twenty-goal a season striker" Liverpool fans had been craving for seasons now.
In terms of formal team news, the biggest shock is Joe Gomez missing out on being named in the 23-man squad. Gomez suffered a knock in the early stages of the weekend clash with Stoke, and while he saw out the match, he was deemed not fit enough to take to Rome. Outside of this, no surprise men have been left out and while Alberto Moreno has a slight knock, he seems set to train as well.
Liverpool were given a boost as Adam Lallana was named into the squad, however Klopp says he will not be a part of the match-day squad. Klopp and fans alike will be thrilled to have Lallana seeming closer to return to the fold as midfield depth is growing thin with long-term absences to Emre Can and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. It remains to be seen whether or not Lallana will be able to partake in any further action this season. Additionally, Sadio Mane seems set to return from his rest against Stoke to the starting line-up.
Roma has been dealt to injury blows as Kevin Strootman and Diego Perotti were left out of the squad on the weekend and will be left out of Wednesday's game. Both are importantly losses to the side and it seems likely that Lorenzo Pellegrini and Stephan El Shaarawy will take their spots in the match-day side. Roma's tactics on the weekend indicated a return to a back four on Wednesday, away from the failed experiment of the back three employed last week.
Projected Liverpool Line-Up: Karius; Alexander-Arnold, van Dijk, Lovren, Robertson; Henderson, Milner, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mane
Projected Roma Line-Up: Alisson; Florenzi, Fazio, Manolas, Kolarov; Pellegini, De Rossi, Nainggolan; Schick, Dzeko, El Shaarawy
Previewing the Game:
Surely the freshest thought in all Liverpool's fans' minds (even the most confident) is Roma's comeback in the Stadio Olimpico against Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals. This, however, is a Liverpool team that will continually look to attack Roma instead of sitting back. They know just how dangerous a team pinned up against the wall can be and truly had to fight off Manchester City in their quarter-final match-up. Nothing will be taken for granted and the Reds will look to get a couple of away goals in order to feel just that extra bit more secure.
The likely change in formation would be very smart for Roma. Juan Jesus was shown red at the weekend and looked scared at times to go against Mo Salah. Additionally, the back three simply showed the Reds too much space. Massive attacking channels were available for Liverpool to run into at any moment they chose. A back four will hopefully for Roma tighten these spaces between full-back and center-back and thus close down the attacking ways for the Reds.
One of the keys to last game, in addition to the front three, was substitute Gini Wijnaldum's performance. Wijnaldum grew into the game and, as a stark comparison from his normal more possession or holding-midfielder style of play, looked consistently to attack and move into dangerous positions. The Dutchman will likely start again and without Chamberlain and with Henderson occupying that deeper midfield role, I would look for Wijnaldum to continue to try and make forward runs and make himself that fourth option for players like James Milner who will try and attack in hopes of finding a man in red to target.
My personal key battle of the game has to be the one between Eden Dzeko and the two Liverpool center-backs. Dzeko is massive and in stellar form having scored a brace on the weekend and beating Dejan Lovren last week to score one of his own at Anfield. He scored a quick one against Barcelona to spark the comeback and will look to do the same. At the same time, the Liverpool defense cannot simply focus on him. The full-backs will have their hands full with Schick and El Shaarawy, each possessing differing skill sets, so much of the focus of Dzeko will fall to the big men in the middle. Virgil van Dijk will need to continue to be dominant in air and Lovren must be up for this task. Containing Dzeko will go a long way in ensuring no comeback can be reached.
Final Thoughts:
Everyone would love for Mo Salah to go out, score two in the first half again, and let Liverpool fans dream ahead to the final. This I think is too far from reality. Roma's late away goals give them belief. They have done this before, surely they think they can do it again. But Liverpool, too, have held on in a situation like the one they are currently in. Like Klopp says, they must play with courage. They must play with belief.
Score Projection: Roma 1: Liverpool 1:
I'll go conservative here. Roma will score first in the first half, Liverpool will hit back in the second through a counter-attack of their own. This match has massive anticipation around it. A win in Rome would be a treat like none other for Liverpool fans around the globe. 90 minutes from glory awaits.
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