Sparta Rotterdam show off old snap of Wijnaldum and Strootman

A few reunions sprung to mind when Liverpool were drawn with Roma in the semi-finals of the Champions League. 

The tie will see Mo Salah face his old club following his move to Anfield last summer, as wel as seeing the Reds revisit the venue of one of their most memorable European Cup triumphs in the 1980s.

The tie will also reunite Georginio Wijnaldum and Kevin Strootman, two Dutch players who both started their careers at the academy of Sparta Rotterdam. 

Wijnaldum and his Liverpool side have been drawn against Roma in the Champions League

Strootman plays for the Serie A side and will go head-to-head with his old you team-mate 

And the club was only too quick to share their excitement at two of their young protoges making it all the way to the very top of the game.

Bursting with pride, the club tweeted: ‘Kevin Strootman and Georginio Wijnaldum: years ago team-mates who trained together at #SpartaRotterdam, now meeting each other in the semi-finals of the Champions League.’

Attached with the post was a picture from said years ago, with a glum-looking Wijnaldum stood as far away as possible from a stern, frosted-tipped Strootman.

Their outlook on life seems a little brighter today and the pair both took to social media to share their excitement about their impending duel.  

The Liverpool midfielder was first, declaring the tie an ‘exciting draw’ before telling his former youth team-mate: ‘See you soon.’ 

The Roma midfielder responded in kind, confirming: ‘See you soon bro.’

of course, it won’t be the first time the pair have seen each other since their Sparta days – far from it.

Both are fully fledged Holland internationals, Strootman having won 39 caps, with Wijnaldum playin 47 times for his country to date.