Liverpool are banking on Mohamed Salah and the passion of the Anfield crowd to propel them towards the Champions League final today but Roma stand in their way in a mouthwatering repeat of the 1984 title decider.
Spearheaded by Salah and inspired from the touchline by exuberant manager Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool will look to repeat the blitzkrieg attack that blew Premier League champions Manchester City away in the previous round.
But the five-times champions will be wary of the team that staged a remarkable comeback against European aristocrats Barcelona in the last eight, overcoming a 4-1 first-leg deficit to progress to their first European Cup semi-final in 34 years.
Klopp is credited by both City manager Pep Guardiola and Roma's American co-owner James Pallotta for transforming 25-year-old Salah, who joined the club from Roma last year, from a rather nervy finisher into a deadly striker who has scored more than 40 times for Liverpool this season.
"I think the coach there has clearly figured out how best to utilise him, using him in a different position I would say to Roma because you've got (Edin) Dzeko in the middle," Pallotta told the BBC.
Roma's record of losing their past three Champions League games on the road -- conceding eight goals in the process -- does not bode well ahead of a visit to the home of Liverpool, who have tightened up at the back since the arrival in January of Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk.
Bruce Grobbelaar, the hero for Liverpool in the 1984 penalty shootout against Roma -- unnerving Italy 1982 World Cup-winning duo Bruno Conti and Francesco Graziani with his wobbly knees routine -- believes his former side will prevail.
"Liverpool will win the semi-final and final too. Football was invented by the English, don't forget," Grobbelaar said.
"Roma must have been mad to sell Mo Salah. Either that or they really needed the money."
"Hopefully this is the start of something special with this squad," said the England international. "The manager has been brilliant since he has come to the club. We've improved every season and done brilliant this season to get this stage."
- Roma warning -
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