Roma coach Eusebio di Francesco warned that the pace of Liverpool‘s prolific front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino – who have combined for 83 goals this season – offers a very different threat from Barca’s Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
“We are facing a different rival from Barcelona and we need to be ready for that different challenge,” said Di Francesco.
“We have to play our football, impose our style and make the most of Liverpool’s weaknesses.
Di Francesco is often compared to Klopp for his coaching style but he says his managerial style is a mixture of Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte.
For the Roma players there was only one man responsible for their miracle against Barcelona and he was on the touchline.
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“The difference for me was Di Francesco, he changed a lot of things and he got it spot on,” said captain Daniele De Rossi.
Klopp acknowledges the power of the Anfield crowd but wants to avoid the ugly scenes outside the ground against Manchester City, when the away team’s bus was attacked.
“In the stadium do it again and better. Outside the stadium, please show the respect we have to show,” Klopp said.
“This is such an outstanding football club, an outstanding football family, known for fantastic atmospheres all over the world, so we don’t need to throw whatever at the bus of the opposing team.”
