Roma scored what may have been the prettiest match-winner in the Champions League this season. But the celebrations following the Radja Nainggolan goal vs Liverpool were as muted as could be, because the Reds had more than enough cushion to hold on for a 7-6 aggregate victory in the Champions League semifinals on Wednesday in Rome.
Liverpool is almost certainly into the 2018 Champions League Final holding, at the time of writing this, a 7–3 aggregate lead over Roma. They’ve equalled Roma’s away goal tally, but they’ve also conceded a brilliant own goal involving Real Madrid’s favorite defensive liability, Dejan Lovren.
The goal was scored by the greatest playmaker the Champions League has ever seen, James Milner, and I think you can already tell how special this is.
Mo Salah is on another planet. After a tense first half hour of the match in which Roma had the game's best chances, Liverpool began to threaten with attacks over the top. After a few Sadio Mane missed chances, the PFA Player of the Year stepped up in a big way. Two vintage Mo Salah goals have spotted the Reds with a significant advantage at the half.
Roma, Juventus
Oh, Michael Oliver.
Mikey, Mikey, Michael.
Michael Oliver, with a rubbish bin for a heart.
Michael Oliver, with his Citroen Saxo haircut.
Michael Oliver, with the face of an AirFix fanatic, all glue-eyed intricacy and camo paint fumes.
Michael Oliver, with his absolutely correct refereeing decision in the biggest moment of the footballing season so far.
Michael Oliver, with the target over his head. The bullets are in the post already, Mike.
So it’s Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich and Liverpool vs. AS Roma in the Champions League draw for the semifinals on Friday. What immediately jump out are all the storylines and relationships between the two sets of semifinalists. But there’s more to this matchup than player links.
Sure, Bayern’s James Rodriguez is on loan from Real Madrid and Toni Kroos once plied his trade for the Bavarians. And yes, Salah transferred to Liverpool from Roma last summer.