Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman is ready to put friendship aside as he comes up against former teammate Mohamed Salah in the Giallorossi’s Champions League semi-final clash against Liverpool.
Salah left Roma for Anfield last summer after 18 months at the club, and has enjoyed a blistering start to life in England, scoring 41 goals in all competitions.
Despite remaining on good terms with his former teammate, Dutch international Strootman insisted that friendship would count for nothing in a bid to reach a first final since 1984.
“Did Salah say he wanted to avoid Roma in the semi-final? If so, it’s a good sign,” Strootman told La Repubblica. “There are strong teams in the semi-finals, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are on another level, and Liverpool are doing well.
“Salah is their most dangerous player and we won’t be friends on the pitch. The last two times he has not answered me, but we will see after the match!”
Roma stunned Spanish giants Barcelona in the previous round by coming from 4-1 down in the first leg to secure a 3-0 win and 4-4 away goals victory, and Strootman admitted that he still got goosebumps from the occasion.
“We hope to relive an evening like the one against Barca. I have watched the video of the third goal 500 times, the atmosphere in the stadium was magical,” the 28-year-old concluded.
