Edin Dzeko, centre, and his Roma side have the momentum to still mount a comeback against Liverpool this week. Riccardo Antimiani / EPA
Edin Dzeko, centre, and his Roma side have the momentum to still mount a comeback against Liverpool this week. Riccardo Antimiani / EPA
Edin Dzeko, centre, and his Roma side have the momentum to still mount a comeback against Liverpool this week. Riccardo Antimiani / EPA
Edin Dzeko, centre, and his Roma side have the momentum to still mount a comeback against Liverpool this week. Riccardo Antimiani / EPA

Roma have momentum to beat Liverpool, and Bayern hold trump card against Real Madrid: Talking points


Ian Hawkey
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Roma practise their comeback calculations

Roma won by a three-goal margin this weekend, maintaining their course for a top-four finish in Serie A and so a guarantee of Uefa Champions league football next season. More importantly, the 4-1 victory at home to Chievo means they have won their last two league matches by three goals.

Indeed, as their more optimistic supporters point out, they have now won three of their last six fixtures by a three-goal margin: 3-0 at home to Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-final second leg on April 10th, 3-0 at Spal last weekend, and then Saturday's triumph, when Roma went down to 10 men at 2-0 up and goalkeeper Alisson saved a penalty.

Good omens then for the mission improbable of Wednesday, when Roma must reverse the 5-2 deficit inflicted on them by Liverpool in the first leg of a helter-skelter European Cup semi-final?

“My message is that we must believe,” said manager Eusebio di Francesco, who was heavily criticised for his tactics in the Anfield match. “We have received great results before in the Champions League, and we must finish Wednesday knowing we have done everything possible.”

Precedent does offer a little encouragement.

Roma trailed 4-1 after the first 90 minutes against Barcelona and progressed. And then there is the Liverpool record as a team who can be blitzed as well as being expert practitioners of the sudden, irresistible wave of attack after attack.

This is a Liverpool side who let a three goal lead at halfway through their trip to Sevilla turn into a 3-3 draw. This is a Liverpool side who at Tottenham and Manchester City lost 4-1 and 5-0 earlier in their league campaign.

"The important thing is to do our best," said Edin Dzeko, scorer of the late goal at Anfield that regained a little Roma momentum and of two of Roma's four goals in the see-saw against Barcelona. "I don't want to think about the first leg.

"But in a packed stadium, I hope the second leg can be like it was against Barca.”

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Our staff predictions

Jon Turner: Why Bayern Munich will go on to win the title

John McAuley: Why Liverpool will go on to win the title

Steve Luckings: Why Roma will go on to win the title

Graham Caygill: Why Madrid will go on to win title

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Bayern's Franck Ribery, left, could be a challenge for Real Madrid to deal with. Ronald Wittek / EPA
Bayern's Franck Ribery, left, could be a challenge for Real Madrid to deal with. Ronald Wittek / EPA

Zidane wary of Ribery renaissance

"Ribery now looks 10 years younger," Spanish newspaper As noted after Real Madrid's 2-1 win in Munich in the first leg of their semi-final.

The effervescence of the French winger, 35 years young and in his 10th season as a Champions League footballer, is a pressing issue for Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane, once a France teammate of Ribery’s, going into Tuesday’s return.

Zidane is short of defenders, and above all an experienced specialist at right-back, the position Ribery will mostly target. Dani Carvajal suffered a muscular problem in Bavaria last week and is ruled out.

His natural deputy, the Moroccan Achraf Hakimi, is just 19 and has not been used in Europe since deputising for Carvajal in the defeat against Spurs in the group phase, while versatile Nacho's recuperation from an injury sustained earlier this month has not progressed as hoped.

Some resourceful thinking may be required, like asking in-form winger Lucas Vazquez to step back into defence, as he did when Carvajal went off at the Allianz Arena. “Lucas is an option for us there,” said Zidane, who also suspects he will be without playmaker Isco, who is troubled by shoulder pain.

Dimitri Payet may inspire Olympique Marseille to their first European final in 14 years. Boris Horvat / AFP
Dimitri Payet may inspire Olympique Marseille to their first European final in 14 years. Boris Horvat / AFP

Payet the provider

Olympique Marseille look close to their first European final in 14 years, thanks to the sharp delivery of captain Dimitri Payet. His two assists for the goals in the 2-0 lead they take to Red Bull Salzburg in the Europa League on Thursday were set-ups Nos 15 and 16 of his last 20 matches in all competitions.

Dare France manager Didier Deschamps exclude Payet from his World Cup squad?

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone, left, has the perfect sidekick in German Burgos. Dylan Martinez / Reuters
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone, left, has the perfect sidekick in German Burgos. Dylan Martinez / Reuters

Simeone’s sturdy sidekick

Diego Simeone, banished to the stands during Atletico Madrid's 1-1 draw at Arsenal last week, is facing a touchline ban that could deprive his club of his vivid presence in the technical area for the rest of their Europa League campaign.

That might hurt, especially if Atletico make the final. But it would – entertainingly for neutrals – foreground Simeone’s larger-than-life assistant, German ‘Mono’ Burgos.

El Mono – ‘The Monkey’ – is just as much a cult figure at Atletico as Simeone is. He was in combative form at Arsenal after Atletico had suffered two early dismissals – one of them for Simeone – and has grown into a bear of a man since he retired as goalkeeper of skill and some eccentric habits for Atletico and Argentina.

He has also changed much since he featured in a bizarre television advertisement when Atletico were promoted out of the Spanish second division in 2002. El Mono, who in his free time played guitar in a heavy rock band, was shown emerging from a manhole in the road, full of grinning menace, as if from a subterranean sewer.

Arsene Wenger he is not.

The Dark Blue Winter Overcoat & Other Stories From the North
Edited and Introduced by Sjón and Ted Hodgkinson
Pushkin Press 

Saudi Cup race day

Schedule in UAE time

5pm: Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors Cup (Turf), 5.35pm: 1351 Cup (T), 6.10pm: Longines Turf Handicap (T), 6.45pm: Obaiya Arabian Classic for Purebred Arabians (Dirt), 7.30pm: Jockey Club Handicap (D), 8.10pm: Samba Saudi Derby (D), 8.50pm: Saudia Sprint (D), 9.40pm: Saudi Cup (D)

While you're here
MATCH INFO

Bayern Munich 2 Borussia Monchengladbach 1
Bayern:
 Zirkzee (26'), Goretzka (86')
Gladbach: Pavard (37' og)

Man of the Match: Breel Embolo (Borussia Monchengladbach)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

RESULTS

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m
Winner: Arjan, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).

5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m​​​​​​​
Winner: Jap Nazaa, Royston Ffrench, Irfan Ellahi.

6pm: Al Ruwais Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 1,200m​​​​​​​
Winner: RB Lam Tara, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinal.

6.30pm: Shadwell Gold Cup Prestige Dh125,000 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: AF Sanad, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi.

7pm: Shadwell Farm Stallions Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: Dubai Canal, Harry Bentley, Satish Seemar.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING

Director: Christopher McQuarrie

Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg

Rating: 4/5

While you're here
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

War and the virus
Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

It Was Just an Accident

Director: Jafar Panahi

Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr

Rating: 4/5

Day 5, Dubai Test: At a glance

Moment of the day Given the problems Sri Lanka have had in recent times, it was apt the winning catch was taken by Dinesh Chandimal. He is one of seven different captains Sri Lanka have had in just the past two years. He leads in understated fashion, but by example. His century in the first innings of this series set the shock win in motion.

Stat of the day This was the ninth Test Pakistan have lost in their past 11 matches, a run that started when they lost the final match of their three-Test series against West Indies in Sharjah last year. They have not drawn a match in almost two years and 19 matches, since they were held by England at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi in 2015.

The verdict Mickey Arthur basically acknowledged he had erred by basing Pakistan’s gameplan around three seam bowlers and asking for pitches with plenty of grass in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Why would Pakistan want to change the method that has treated them so well on these grounds in the past 10 years? It is unlikely Misbah-ul-Haq would have made the same mistake.

At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances