It is 25 years to the day since Liverpool, inspired by a magnificent second-half double from Michael Owen, won 2-0 at a star-studded Roma side to take a big step on the road to European glory
Michael Owen scored both of Liverpool's goals in Rome. Mandatory Credit: Alex Livesey/ALLSPORT
Michael Owen scored both of Liverpool's goals in Rome. Mandatory Credit: Alex Livesey/ALLSPORT
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Mention Roma to Liverpool supporters and minds immediately go to 1984 when, thanks to Bruce Grobbelaar’s wobbly legs, a fourth European Cup was won on the Italian side’s home turf.
Later came the emotional Anfield return of Gerard Houllier in 2002 having been absent for five months after heart surgery as the Reds won 2-0 in the Champions League.
And, most recently in 2018, a brilliant first-leg semi-final performance in a 5-2 home romp – followed by a nervy 4-2 loss in the return game – encapsulated the early Jurgen Klopp era and secured a place in the European showpiece against Real Madrid in Kiev.
But there was another memorable meeting between the teams on this day in February 2001 that, over two legs, proved both incident-packed and influential in shaping the futures of key people involved.
The UEFA Cup – the forerunner to the Europa League – in those days primarily contained up-and-coming teams with the Champions League still very much in its infancy in terms of scooping up the very best the Continent had to offer.
Indeed, Roma were Serie A leaders under future England boss Fabio Capello when the draw for the last 16 paired the teams together, with the first leg taking place in the Italian capital.
Liverpool were enjoying their own successful season under Houllier, with a League Cup final on the horizon, progress to the FA Cup fifth round and a place in the Premier League’s top three.
Nevertheless, Roma were favourites to go through having lost only three times in all competitions going into the first game at the Stadio Olimpico on February 15.
However, a crowd of almost 60,000 saw Liverpool first stifle the home team in the first half before a magnificent second-half double from Michael Owen put the visitors in control of the tie. Small wonder the travelling fans were singing ‘We always win in Rome’ long after the final whistle.
“The whole team was superb,” said Houllier afterwards. “I was worried because we had players missing through injury and others cup-tied, while there were several playing who were only just back from injury.
“But Michael's goals gave us confidence and the defence was outstanding.”
Owen had missed four of the previous five games through injury and was making his first start in eight matches. His first goal moments after half-time came after cutting out a suicidal crossfield pass from Alessandro Rinaldi and finishing well, before later glancing in a header from Christian Ziege’s cross.
“It is nice to play in such a great stadium and to come away with two goals,” said Owen. “It was a great performance by the whole team.”
The England man was partnered in attack by Robbie Fowler in Rome, although it was a rare example of the duo starting in tandem.
“Michael is quite quiet and private but we always got on, and it’s a myth too to say that we couldn’t play together,” said Fowler years later. “One of the best performances of the Houllier era was the 2-0 win in Rome, when we were up front together.
“So he left me out again for the next two. Cheers, boss.”
Fowler was indeed on the bench the following week when the return leg took place at Anfield with Liverpool having in the meantime booked their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals with a 4-2 win over Manchester City.
With the Reds at that point having never been eliminated from Europe having won the first leg away from home, Roma’s task was made all the more difficult with Francesco Totti, Cafu and Emerson missing and Gabriel Batitusta only fit enough for the bench.
Liverpool, though, couldn’t fathom out whether to stick or twist, and nerves started to jangle when, after Roma goalkeeper Francesco Antonioli saved an Owen penalty, visiting substitute Gianni Guigou smashed home with 20 minutes remaining.
The real talking point, though, came seven minutes later. A Vincenzo Montella cross struck Markus Babbel on the elbow and referee Jose Maria-Garcia-Aranda pointed to the spot. But as Batistuta retrieved the ball to take the penalty, the official changed his mind and without explanation gave a corner to Roma.
“It was a penalty, the referee pointed to the spot twice and then he changed his mind and I don't know why,” said Capello later.
Damiano Tomassi was among the Roma players booked for protesting and soon picked up a second yellow and subsequent red for fouling Ziege, with Liverpool just about seeing off both the ire and attacking might of the Italians to progress 2-1 on aggregate.
“I don't think we showed as much character as we did over there,” said Houllier. “Some of the boys are a bit young and should not have been involved in some silly situations.”
While elimination didn’t halt Roma’s momentum on their way to winning the Serie A title, Liverpool’s win had a transformative effect on both their season and goalscorer.
Three days later they were in Cardiff to beat Birmingham City in the League Cup final on penalties for the first part of a cup treble in which Arsenal were dramatically downed in the FA Cup final and Alaves in the UEFA Cup final in Dortmund, while a first-ever place in the Champions League was secured by holding on to third in the Premier League.
And, in shooting Owen back to global prominence after his World Cup exploits as a teenager in 1998, it was an early highlight of a year that ended with him becoming the first and so far only Liverpool player to win the Ballon d’Or.
“I maintain to this day that my best ever performance was at home to Porto in the UEFA Cup fourth round second leg at Anfield on March 15 2001,” said Owen.
“Scoring two goals in Rome against Roma in the preceding round had been quite an achievement in itself. But as important as that night in Rome was, everything about that game against Porto was perfection for me.
“The record books will confirm that I only scored once but sometimes you walk off a pitch knowing every conceivable aspect of your game was A1.”
Maybe so. But it’s that Roma brace – and the wild second leg that followed – that people still remember 25 years on.