Liverpool v Roma through the years - A look back at their European rivalry
We take a look at the famous European meetings between Liverpool and Roma - including one of the most famous games in the event's history.
Liverpool and Roma will meet again in European competition and although they’ve not been regular meeting they’ve shared one of the most iconic moments in European football.
Liverpool are 8/15 to win their first leg at Anfield, with Roma 9/2, and the Reds certainly have some fond memories of facing the Italians down the years.
The first meeting between the two resulted in Liverpool winning the European Cup in Roma’s very own Stadio Olimpico thanks to Bruce Grobbelaar’s penalty heroics.
The two sides have only met three times in European cometition, Liverpool coming out on top each time, but they began their rivalry in the most eye catching fashion.
1984 European Cup final – Liverpool win on penalties
The game that spawned this rivalry saw Liverpool go into the lions’ den in Rome and emerge with a fourth European Cup after goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar’s ‘spaghetti legs’ in the shootout.
The Reds scored first but Roma levelled before half time. Liverpool then survived the white-hot atmosphere in the second half to take the game to penalties.
Liverpool go through in crazy Uefa Cup tie
The Reds went on to win the Uefa Cup in a treble-wining season, but they had to survive a huge scare against Roma despite going away in the first leg and winning 2-0 thanks to a double from Michael Owen.
Gerard Houllier mastermind the perfect away performance with Owen bagging two away goals in the second half, which looked to have set up a comfortable second leg.
However, the second leg proved anything but a formality, especially when Owen then missed a penalty to finish the tie off, and when Gianni Guigou scored with 20 minutes left it set up a furious finish.
Roma then looked to have been awarded a penalty only for the referee to seemingly change his mind, which led to Roma completely losing their heads and having six players booked and captain Damiano Tomassi sent off.
Liverpool v Roma 2001/02 Champions League group stage
The only other meeting in europe's elite competition may have only been in the group stages, but after a 0-0 draw in Rome the Anfield game was a memorable event for a number of reasons - firstly when Gerard Houllier returned to the dugout after six months away with a serious illness.
The Reds needed two goals at least against Fabio Capello's Italian champions who were again top of Serie A heading to Anfield for the game, but they were simply blown away by the atmosphere and Liverpool's attacking intent.
It was the resurgence of the famous Anfield European nights as an inspired Emile Heskey produced one of the best performances of his career to score one and bully the Italians throughout a 2-0 win - Jari Litmanen scoring the other as Liverpool progressed in style while dumping Roma out.
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