Roma seek historic comeback in Eternal City – Champions League in Opta numbers

Liverpool appear to have one foot in the Champions League final, but can take nothing for granted when they face Roma in the semi-final second leg on Wednesday.

Jurgen Klopp’s men beat Roma 5-2 in the first leg, Mohamed Salah producing a stunning performance against his former club.

No side has ever overturned a 5-2 away first-leg defeat in the long history of the competition. 

However, hope springs in the Eternal City after Roma fought back from a 4-1 deficit to knock out Barcelona with a 3-0 second-leg home win in the quarter-finals.

Roma have an imposing record at the Stadio Olimpico, where they have typically been stronger in defence, but Liverpool’s attack rivals any in Europe this season. 

Here, we examine the best Opta facts surrounding the return fixture…

Roma v Liverpool

– Liverpool are yet to lose to Roma in the European Cup/Champions League in four meetings (W2 D2), with one of those draws in the 1984 final (1-1), which Liverpool won 4-2 on penalties at the Stadio Olimpico.

– This is Liverpool’s 10th appearance in the semi-final of the European Cup/Champions League – they have progressed to the final on seven of the previous nine occasions, losing only in 1964-65 against Inter and in 2007-08 against Chelsea.

– Roma are the only team yet to concede a single goal at home in the Champions League this season (five games). They have also won each of their last four such games at the Stadio Olimpico (including two by three clear goals), but have never won five in a row.

– The Reds have scored 38 goals in this season’s competition, the most by an English team in a single Champions League campaign. In fact, since the new format was introduced in 2003-04, only Real Madrid (41 goals in 2013-14) have scored more than Liverpool have this season.

– Liverpool are the first side in Champions League history to see three players score eight or more goals in a single season (Salah 10, Firmino 10, Mane 8).

Liverpool front 3 this season =

Salah
Firmino
Mané #UCL pic.twitter.com/MInn0oxcBl

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) April 30, 2018

– Salah has scored in each of his last five Champions League starts for Liverpool, a feat only Steven Gerrard had previously accomplished for the club (between October 2007 and February 2008).

– Roberto Firmino is the joint-quickest player to reach the 10-goal mark in the Champions League, having accomplished it in only 11 games (same as Adriano). Also, only Cristiano Ronaldo (18) has been involved in more goals than the Brazilian (16 – 10 goals, 6 assists) in this season’s competition.

– James Milner has provided eight assists in the Champions League this season, the joint-most in a single campaign in the competition since the new format was introduced, level with Neymar in 16-17.

– Edin Dzeko has scored in each of his last four Champions League games, the longest ever run in the competition for a Roma player.

– Roma goalkeeper Alisson has saved all 20 shots on target he has faced at the Stadio Olimpico in this season’s Champions League.