Eusebio Di Francesco insists he doesn’t need any of his Roma players to tell him about the qualities of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
The Giallorossi are preparing to head to Merseyside for the first leg of their Champions League semi final against the Reds, who signed the Egyptian star from the Stadio Olimpico club last summer.
Salah, who spent two years in the Italian capital, has gone on to score an incredible 41 goals in all competitions for Jurgen Klopp’s team so far this season.
Eusebio Di Francesco insists he doesn’t need any of his Roma players to tell him about the qualities of Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
The Giallorossi are preparing to head to Merseyside for the first leg of their Champions League semi final against the Reds, who signed the Egyptian star from the Stadio Olimpico club last summer.
Salah, who spent two years in the Italian capital, has gone on to score an incredible 41 goals in all competitions for Jurgen Klopp’s team so far this season.
Roma boss Di Francesco, who only arrived at the club last summer from Sassuolo following the departure of Luciano Spalletti, did not have the opportunity to work with the 25-year-old winger.
However, speaking to The Guardian, he insists he does not need to seek out any tactical advice from his defenders regarding Salah ahead of Tuesday’s clash.
“I don’t need them to tell me. His qualities are very clear,” the 48-year-old said.
“Don’t forget that I prepared games against him in Italy, too. But the fact lots of our players know him well, that can be an advantage.
“(He is) a great guy, a great professional, a hard worker.”
Di Francesco believes this season, which has seen Roma reach the semi-finals of Europe’s major club competition for the first time since 1984, has been one of ‘great growth’ for his team.
“This season has been one of great growth for us.
“In recent years Roma had not managed to compete through to the latter stages of multiple competitions.
“We are still competing [for a top-four spot] in Serie A, where Liverpoolhave already secured a bit more certainty that they will be back in the Champions League next year.”