Roma vs Liverpool Champions League Semi Final Betting Tips
Roma vs Liverpool Champions League Semi Final Betting Tips
30th April 2018
Roma shocked the world of football in their Champions League quarter-final. After losing 4-1 in the Camp Nou, the Giallorossi needed a miraculous performance to overcome Barcelona but that’s exactly what they served up at the Stadio Olimpico.
Roma had already shown glimpses of what they are all about with impressive group stage performances against Atletico Madrid and Chelsea. They also overcame a first leg deficit in their Round of 16 tie with Shakhtar Donetsk. It’s been a great run for Eusebio Di Francesco and his men but all good things must come to an end and the bookies believe it will all end when Liverpool visit the Eternal City on Wednesday night.
The Reds are playing some of the best attacking football in the world at the moment and were at their brilliant best in the first leg. Liverpool tore through Roma’s defences, scoring five goals and even a late flurry from Roma which saw them score two away goals hasn’t changed the view of the bookies who make Liverpool a general 1/16 to qualify for the final.
Roma have nothing to lose though and are used to being triumphant against the odds lately. Could lightning strike again at the Stadio Olimpico?
The celebrations were wild in Rome when Roma overcame a three goal deficit to knock Barcelona out of the Champions League.
Roma v Liverpool Match Odds Market
Roma 6/4 (Ladbrokes)
Liverpool 28/17 (Unibet)
Draw 3/1 (Bet365)
(Please note all odds shown are correct at time of article publishing)
Liverpool are comfortably the top goalscorers in the Champions League this season. The Reds have amassed 38 goals so far with the scoring spread out between Mohamed Salah (10), Roberto Firmino (10) and Sadio Mané (eight). It’s that attacking quality that will most worry Roma as just one Liverpool goal makes the task that much tougher for a side who have managed just 17 goals so far (that’s 1.55 per game compared to Liverpool’s 3.45).
On the plus side, Roma are yet to concede a single goal at home in this season’s Champions League. They’re also capable of turning it on when they need as 3-0 wins against both Barcelona and Chelsea prove. Those wins got the Stadio Olimpico rocking and you can be sure the Roma fans will create an intimidating atmosphere.
The big news for Liverpool in the build up to Wednesday’s match is the shock decision by Klopp’s number two, Zeljko Buvac, to step down until the end of the season at least. That is a big blow to Klopp in the long term but it shouldn’t have too much impact on Wednesday. Klopp and his team won the tactical battle with Di Francesco and Liverpool should be able to book their place in the Champions League final. The game itself could go either way so the safest betting option could well be both teams to score which is available at 4/11 with Coral.
Correct Score Market
Draw 1-1 @ 8/1 (William Hill)
Liverpool 2-1 @ 10/1 (Betfred)
Roma 2-1 @ 10/1 (Betfred)
Draw 2-2 @ 10/1 (William Hill)
Liverpool 1-0 @ 14/1 (Ladbrokes)
Roma 1-0 @ 15/1 (888Sport)
Liverpool’s brilliance in an attacking sense means they should become the first visiting team to score against Roma in the Champions League. The Reds have a wealth of attacking options and have been boosted by the news that Sadio Mané should be fit to play on Wednesday night. Roma could not cope with Liverpool’s direct style on Merseyside and while they’ll surely change their approach, the home team’s need for goals will open up chances for Liverpool to exploit on the counterattack.
We fully expect Roma to breach the Liverpool defence once again and make a game of it. However, their inability to stop Liverpool cost them at Anfield and it will likely cost them again. If you’re having a play in the Correct Score market then consider the generous price of 10/1 that William Hill are quoting on the 2-2 draw.
First Goalscorer Market
Mohamed Salah 15/4 (Unibet)
Edin Dzeko 51/10 (888Sport)
Cengiz Under 6/1 (Coral)
Patrik Schick 7/1 (Unibet)
Roberto Firmino 7/1 (888Sport)
Stephan El Shaarawy 15/2 (Bet365)
Danny Ings 8/1 (888Sport)
Diego Perotti 17/2 (Bet365)
The battle between Edin Dzeko and Virgil van Dijk could be crucial.
Edin Dzeko has been a revelation for Roma this season. The 32-year-old is well known to English football fans for his spell with Manchester City but the quality of his all round forward play lately has still caught seasoned observers by surprise.
Dzeko led the line brilliantly against Barcelona and it was no surprise that he was the man to start Roma’s mini revival at Anfield by pouncing on a mistake from Dejan Lovren. Dzeko will have another tough battle with the excellent Virgil van Dijk on Wednesday but he can get the night off to a positive start and have Roma fans dreaming of another comeback by scoring first at 15/4 with Unibet.
