CL 2nd Leg: A.S Roma - Real Madrid [05-03-08] - TalkSoccer

**dukeofdavinci** · 13-12-2007, 11:01 AM

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CL: Italians risk tough draw Wednesday 12 December, 2007

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Now that the group phase is complete, Roma risk facing Chelsea, Real Madrid or Barcelona, while Milan and Inter could draw Arsenal or Liverpool.

Tonight’s games finalised the order of the teams going through to the knockouts of the Champions League and those who are re-routed to the UEFA Cup.

The next step is the draw on December 21 and all three Italian clubs still in contention risk dangerous opponents.

Having topped their group, Milan will take on one out of Liverpool, Schalke 04, Olympiacos, Lyon, Fenerbahce and Arsenal.

Inter also won their section, so their potential rivals are Liverpool, Schalke 04, Olympiacos, Lyon, Arsenal and Celtic.

Roma are the most at risk, having qualified second behind Manchester United. This means the Giallorossi will meet one of the top seeds.

The options are Porto, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla.

Lazio are the only Italian entries to the Champions League to crash out, having failed to even grab third place for a UEFA Cup spot.

Group winners:
Porto (Portugal)
Chelsea (England)
Real Madrid (Spain)
Milan (Italy)
Barcelona (Spain)
Manchester United (England)
Inter (Italy)
Sevilla (Spain)

Group runners-up:
Liverpool (England)
Schalke 04 (Germany)
Olympiacos (Greece)
Celtic (Scotland)
Lyon (France)
Roma (Italy)
Fenerbahce (Turkey)
Arsenal (England)

UEFA Cup:
Olimpique Marseille (France)
Rosenborg (Norway)
Werder Bremen (Germany)
Benfica (Portugal)
Rangers (Scotland)
Sporting Lisbon (Portugal)
PSV Eindhoven (Holland)
Slavia Prague (Czech Republic)

group stages done and dusted and i am quite afraid.

imo i would be glad if we got porto or sevilla.and it will be suicidal if we met any of the tops wth all of the in rich form.not to say we cant handle them but after a long absence from cl i think its better we get last 16 against a mid runner like our selves and after that, im confident we can take any one.

wth 2 of the winners are italians and 1 from our own group that just leave 2 as the ones that would make my day happy.

porto come on to us baby!!

**sinoy1** · 13-12-2007, 03:27 PM

Sevilla is very tough mate.Any of these teams can knock us out but at the same time we can knock them out as well.If we play up to potential we can win the next match regardless of who it is.

Something tells me we will face Barca or Chelsea

**dukeofdavinci** · 13-12-2007, 03:39 PM

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Something tells me we will face Barca or Chelsea

holy shit sinoy dont say that the last time u said one we got that one

..just joking mate just joking...

yeah sevilla is good but i think compared to the others , we can mange through sevila.

**sinoy1** · 13-12-2007, 04:58 PM

Isnt Drogba going to have knee surgery?A weakened Chelsea?I hope not!

Sevilla I agree is weaker then the rest ( aside from Porto who are also a good team ).Real Madrid would be fun as well.

Im secretly hoping for Porto though.Lets hope Im right this time

**dukeofdavinci** · 13-12-2007, 05:29 PM

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Im secretly hoping for Porto though.Lets hope Im right this time

well ur hope is same as mine.as soon as i seen the ones qualified porto was my 1st choice as in my first post.

yep drogba is going op, at the same time they will be without some players due to the african nations cup

LaVecchiaSignora · 16-12-2007, 05:51 PM

If roma is going to play any of their good players, then CL is just as much of a joke as the scudettor race is right now

**dukeofdavinci** · 21-12-2007, 08:54 AM

tonight is the draw, cant wait to see what we will get, goose bumps all over.go d please let it be porto or sevilla.

**D-Kin** · 21-12-2007, 12:02 PM

You got Real Madrid.

**dukeofdavinci** · 21-12-2007, 05:29 PM

fuck!!!

damn just whn we dont need them we get them.really crappy draw.

**dukeofdavinci** · 21-12-2007, 05:37 PM

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Roma don’t fear Real Friday 21 December, 2007

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Roma fans may have winced when they were drawn with Real Madrid, but director Antonio Tempestilli insists the Giallorossi aren’t scared.

Luciano Spalletti’s men were always going to be given a tough task after finishing second to Manchester United in their Group.

Being paired with the side that knocked out their city rivals Lazio may provide a little extra motivation for a team looking to demonstrate their improvement from last term.

“Real have indisputable credentials, but Lazio showed that they are beatable,” Tempestilli told Sky Sport Italia.

“When we were drawn together, their sporting director Predrag Mijatovic grimaced – a sign that we are also a team to be feared.

“We want to arrive at the tie with a full-strength squad and then we are confident that we can get through.

“I was more concerned about the English sides. I know the strength of the Premier League clubs, but now we want to get through even though it will be very difficult in the latter stages.”

i hope we dont fear them too.lets hope we can break them at least at our std olimpico

**dukeofdavinci** · 21-12-2007, 08:27 PM

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Totti intrigued by Real clash Friday 21 December, 2007

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Francesco Totti and Real Madrid sporting director Predrag Mijatovic trust their Champions League clash will be an entertaining affair.

“It is going to be a very intriguing and fascinating challenge,” said the Roma captain after today’s Champions League draw.

The Giallorossi have been paired with the Spanish champions with the first leg at the Stadio Olimpico on February 19 and the return match at the Bernabeu on Wednesday March 5.

The other Serie A sides drew English clubs out of the hat, as Inter face Liverpool and Milan take on Arsenal.

“It was a very difficult draw for the Italian teams,” added Totti. He has barely featured since sustaining an ankle injury against Sporting Lisbon in October.

“I will be able to play against Sampdoria this weekend,” assured the Roma captain.

This is not the first time that the Giallorossi have crossed paths with Real and although they have lost four of their six meetings, Totti did grab a 1-0 victory in Madrid in 2002-03.

“Roma are difficult opponents because they have excellent players, so both clubs will enjoy a fascinating tie,” commented sporting director Mijatovic.

"We know Roma well enough because we have faced them recently in the Champions League. We have every respect for them but I think we have a decent chance of qualifying."

This season Real have already visited Rome, held 2-2 by Lazio in the group phase before beating the Biancocelesti 3-1 at the Bernabeu.

Madrid’s record in Italy is poor with just four wins and 14 defeats in 23 attempts

rally our troops il capitano!!

**dukeofdavinci** · 22-12-2007, 07:41 AM

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Spalletti: We can be the Real deal Saturday 22 December, 2007

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Luciano Spalletti believes Roma can eliminate Real Madrid from the Champions League. “It depends on us, if we’re at our best then we can beat anyone.”

The tactician admits he wasn’t exactly overjoyed at the draw for the first knockout stage after qualifying in second place behind Manchester United.

“On paper I would have preferred Porto or Sevilla, but when you reach this level there are always going to be difficulties,” commented Spalletti.

“It will all depend on us. If we play at our best, then we can beat anyone on the day.”

Real Madrid stuttered in the group phase, where they were held 2-2 at the Olimpico by Lazio and only secured qualification on the final day.

“The team struggled a little at the start of the season, then found their path. Real focus more on the quality of their play than a physical approach.”

The first leg will be in the Italian capital on Tuesday February 19, but the decider is at the Bernabeu on March 5.

“The order of the games is of little importance. People think that playing the second leg at home is an advantage, but it is purely psychological.”

The Giallorossi are in action this evening against Spalletti’s old club Sampdoria and Francesco Totti is in the squad after recovering from an ankle problem.

“Alberto Aquilani still does not feel secure, but Totti took part in full training, could kick the ball well and is available.”

Rodrigo Taddei and the suspended Philippe Mexes are sidelined, but Samp are missing former Roma starlet Antonio Cassano due to a ban.

“They have earned some good results even without Cassano. He is in good shape and he came to visit us when we travelled up for the game with Genoa.

“Cassano was very critical about his own behaviour, but the difference will be when he manages to turn that into action.”

we can do it if we are serious enough.come on roma we can do it!!

**D-Kin** · 15-02-2008, 12:35 AM

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Spalletti: We don't fear Real Thursday 14 February, 2008

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Roma Coach Luciano Spalletti is expecting a tough battle against Real Madrid next Tuesday, but he doesn’t see his team as outsiders.

The Giallorossi eased into the last 16 by finishing second to Manchester United in Group F, but must now negotiate the Spanish champions.

The tension is rising with players from both sides stressing their confidence, but Spalletti is keeping is cool.

“Fear is too strong a word. We respect Real 100 per cent, but there isn’t any fear,” the Tuscan tactician insisted to Spanish newspaper Marca.

“This is a crucial time for us and it will be really good to take on Real in a competition like the Champions League.

“They are a side who will require a greater intensity and focus than any other opponents, but if we manage to play as a team we have a good chance to achieve something big.”

Much of the build-up in Spain has centred on Francesco Totti and there have been suggestions that the Eternal City outfit are too dependent on their talismanic leader.

“It’s not just about Totti,” Spalletti maintained. “He is the captain and a top player, but he is only as important as the others.”

Spalletti concluded by discarding the underdogs tag that he feels in inaccurate.

“It is undeniable that Madrid have more experience and are more used to these kind of games than we are, but we will be so motivated. There are no favourites in this one,” he said.

Roma’s first priority is to get a positive result against Juventus in Turin this Saturday in Serie A’s Week 23 crunch match.

channel4.com - Football Italia

**dukeofdavinci** · 18-02-2008, 11:19 AM

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Roma stars square off Monday 18 February, 2008

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All is not well in the Roma camp ahead of tomorrow night’s clash with Real Madrid after a training ground spat between two Giallorossi stars.

Tensions are rising and tempers are flaring after the capital club’s potentially costly defeat against Juventus on Saturday night that effectively ended any hopes of a Scudetto challenge.

As the Old Lady close the gap to just a point and pile the pressure on Roma, the added pressure of a Champions League last 16 encounter with Real Madrid is weighing heavily on the minds of a side on poor form.

There are reports that Azzurri stars Christian Panucci and Alberto Aquilani had to be pulled apart yesterday at Trigoria after a vicious exchange.

It is believed that Aquilani made a joke at Panucci’s expense when the veteran was given a seat on the bench in Turin and that hostilities between the two escalated on the way back to Rome.

Meanwhile, captain Francesco Totti is still fighting for full fitness with back pain adding to his long-standing foot problem.

Er Pupone is still likely to start against the Merengues at the Stadio Olimpico and will overtake Brazilian legend Aldair’s Roma record of 65 appearances in Europe

for fuck sake!!!

this not what we need.god dammit we lost to juve bcoz the whole team played shite not any particular single one.but the whole team.

now the lads better get their freaking heads right now!!!