AS Roma vs Liverpool: 3 things to watch in the second leg

Proverbial underdogs Liverpool and AS Roma resume hostilities at the Stadio Olimpico to compete for a place in the Champions League final, where European biggies Real Madrid await. Currently, the scales are tipped in favour of the Reds who enter the match with a three-goal advantage following the 5-2 drubbing at Anfield.

However, the tie is far from over. The Giallorossi are a different beast at home and have already overturned such a deficit earlier in the competition. They are aiming for a first European final in over three decades, but the Merseysiders aren't going to make it any easier. This is perhaps their best shot at reclaiming European glory, and expect them to play untrammelled.

Another fiesty encounter beckons, and here's what to watch out for in the same.

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#3 AS Roma's indomitable spirit

AS Roma are the comeback kings of Europe

AS Roma don't give up so easily, do they? On countless occasions this season, they appeared to be rolled over by a seemingly superior side, only to turn the tides around ultimately against all odds. Get this - they fought-back from two goals down to lead 3-2 at the Stamford Bridge; overturned a 2-1 first-leg deficit against Shakhtar; and then came the 'romantada' against Barcelona.

Quite simply, they are the comeback specialists of Europe this term. There's an aura of indomitability about this Eusebio De Francesco side, who somehow find a way to get through regardless of the stifling circumstances. This facet of Roma's game was also witnessed in the first-leg of this tie when they pillaged two late away goals to hand themselves a chance in the contest when it all seemed hosed until then.

Such is the belief in this team, that no challenge appears too big to surmount. And even if AS Roma have surpassed all expectations by only making it to the last four, they surely won't rest on their laurels. A first-ever Champions League final is still a distinct possibility.

Expect them to take this right down to the wire.

#2 The fortress that is Stadio Olimpico

AS Roma are a different beast at home

Quite surprisingly, Roma are yet to concede a goal at home this season in Europe. The likes of Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona all came to pass, but none could ripple the Roman net. In fact, the Blues and the Blaugrana were rather handed a hiding here, the latter case being the more astonishing of the two as they erased a 4-1 deficit to win 3-0 and advance.

And apart from just not conceding at home, the Magica are also unbeaten this season - winning each of the four games following the goal-less stalemate to Rojiblancos on matchday one. So the home comforts hold Edin Dzeko and co. in a good stead, but can they hold the fort even against this swashbuckling Liverpool side?

The triumvirate of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane have cut a swathe through even the most robust of the defences, and negating them is a task, unlike Roma, have dealt with before. Anyways, they've experienced it first-hand at Anfield, when the attacking troika combined to put five past them.

But their ability to nullify this threat at home, like they did with those from Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Antoine Griezmann and the likes previously, will be put through some real paces.

Stadio Olimpico never felt more threatened.

#1 Salah's much-anticipated return

Can Salah cause greater damage at Rome?

All the pre-match comments building up to this fixture is cluttered with talks of Mohammed Salah returning to his old stomping ground. This is the place where the Egyptian ace established himself after poor spells at Chelsea and Fiorentina; enjoying two prolific seasons and also helping the Giallorossi finish within the top three in the league, in each.

There's a plausible sense of nostalgia among the Rome faithful and Salah himself, as this would be his first return to the stadium since swapping the Italian capital for the Merseyside last summer. But he returns as a different beast; something the fans of Roma didn't witness in those two years.

Salah has taken his game straight into the stratosphere since donning the red of Liverpool, bagging 43 goals in 47 games, four more than what he managed in entirety at Roma. And two of those came against them in the first-leg, as we all saw him battering his former side.

The spotlight will be on him once again, and Salah breaking the Olimpico hoodoo to consign his side to an exit would be the perfect post-match fable.