Totti: Liverpool are role models for Roma

Published on: 24 April 2018

Roma should follow the example of Liverpool if they are to become one of Europe's top clubs, according to club director Francesco Totti.

Although he admits having bad memories of previous meetings with the Reds -- starting with the 1984 European Cup final when he was just seven and already a Roma fan -- and a meeting 17 years later which he played in, and which resulted in Roma being eliminated from the UEFA Cup, Totti says the Premier League club nevertheless remain an inspiration.

"When I hear the name Liverpool, [I think] respect, a big club, a big team, big fans, and a model to follow," Totti toldLiverpool's website. "Despite the negative result, I have nice memories of that game [at Anfield]. The atmosphere, the feeling, the passion of the fans -- it was very impressive.

"Obviously, if I think back to that European Cup final in 1984, it's a bad memory, so we would have probably have avoided such a draw."

MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP/Getty Images

Totti will be in the director's box at Anfield on Tuesday night, having brought an end to his playing career spent entirely with the Giallorossi in the summer.

From there, he will admire his former teammates and a certain Egyptian, who will be wearing a red shirt.

"This season I've seen a number of games of Liverpool, especially because Mohamed Salah is now playing there, I've been following it consistently," he said. "Especially after the draw, over the past few days I've been watching their Champions League games and I really think it's going to be a tough game for both teams.

"To some extent, it surprises me that [Salah] has been doing so well in his first season at Liverpool. But, on the other hand, considering the quality of the squad, the coach they have -- Klopp, to me, is one of the best coaches in the world -- it didn't surprise me. They put him in the condition to express himself at his best."

Source: espn.co.uk

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