ROME: Liverpool hope to achieve a repeat of their 1981 victory over Real Madrid when they meet again in the UEFA Champions League Final in Kiev on Saturday, May 26.

Jurgen Klopp’s men secured their presence by succumbing ‘only’ to a 4-2 defeat against Roma in the Stadio Olimpico which meant they progressed 7-6 on aggregate.

Roma never threatened to repeat the three-goal turnaround which disposed of Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

Twice in the first half Liverpool took the lead through Sadio Mane in the ninth minute and then Giorgino Wijnaldum in the 25th after the hosts had snatched a brief equaliser through a James Milner own goal (15).

Roma levelled yet again through Edin Dzeko seven minutes into the second half and raised a brief shiver of Liverpool apprehension when Radja Nainggolan struck a third and fourth goal in the last five minutes. However his second goal proved to be virtually the last kick of the match.

Despite even that late flurry Liverpool, despite suffering their first defeat of the campaign, never looked in serious danger at the venue where they won the European Cup in both 1977 and 1984.

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