Roma are ‘favourites’ against Liverpool says John Arne Riise

Few players have pulled on the shirts of both Liverpool and Roma but former full-back John Arne Riise believes the Italians go into the Champions League semi-finals as ‘slight favourites’. 

Both sides pulled off shocks in the quarter-finals to knock out Manchester City and Barcelona respectively but Riise believes home advantage in the second leg for Roma is the marginal gain they need.  

‘Roma are slight favourites because they will play the return game at the Olimpico,’ he told Gazzetta dello Sport. 

The Norwegian played for both clubs but believe second leg home advantage is key to Roma

‘I will be there to watch it and it will be a show. But winning at Anfield is an impossible deed, European nights there are special. Liverpool are Champions League animals.’ 

The two European heavyweights face-off in Merseyside on Tuesday for the first-leg and Jurgen Klopp’s side will look to pull off a similar performance as they did against City, all but eliminating the opposition before the return leg. 

The Serie A side will need to show a marked improvement from their last away trip in the Champions League – a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Ernesto Valverde’s Barcelona.

On the road the Italians have struggled this season, winning just once and conceding 12 goals

Riise also feels Roma have to find a way to limit the influence of Liverpool’s attacking trio

In fact, Roma have won just once from their five away games in this season’s tournament and have conceded 12 goals.

Much has already been said about Liverpool’s lethal attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino and Riise believes restricting their influence will be central to Roma’s plans.

‘[Di Francesco] will need an antidote to Liverpool’s attacking trio,’ the Norwegian continued. 

‘I don’t think Pep Guardiola did anything wrong – I just think some nights it’s impossible to stop (Mohamed) Salah, (Sadio) Mané and (Roberto) Firmino.’