And the noise keeps getting bigger. Gary Lineker struggles to hear what Rio Ferdinand says in their pre-match buildup chat and goes to a break. "I'm sure it was brilliant!" he says.

That's surely a management technique to try and calm the players down. Some of them will be terrified by this setting! A beaming smile, some laughs and these words from the Liverpool manager:

"As happy as you can be before a game, I want to be happy after a game!

"When you see the lineup of Roma they cause you problems, we win at home a good result, the opponent comes back, it was clear we'd have to work again. We are here not to defend the three goal lead we are here to win the football game.

"It's similar. We didn't have the plan to get as much under pressure as we did, it's not easy to find solution in a game, it was good at half time, we played much better but I loved both halves in that game. Let's see, it will be an intense start and then we have to be ready."

The tension is building! The players are warming up, the crowd is loooouuuuuud and already nearly full. Kick-off is 20something minutes away... it's nearly here!

However, some supporters are having real trouble getting in. This was from about half an hour ago:

 

 

"The players need to realise and embrace it. Yeh there'll be nerves but this is what the game's about, just go out there and empty the lot, you'll be fine."

 Other footballers are available. Salah scored 34 goals in 83 games for Roma and is thought of very highly in Rome, hence his subdued celebrations when scoring against them. I think it should be law that you celebrate as much as possible if you score a goal, regardless of who it's against. 

Those seats look great. I'd imagine Di Francesco will be putting rockets underneath them to make sure his players are fired up for the start of this one.

 

... Because it's a Napoli chant, and the two clubs don't get on. Liverpool fans on the wind-up early on.

All the way to Rome to be treated to some of that. Hopefully the match will more than meet their appetite! Maybe both teams will be hungry for goals! Football is the only thing you really need to eat. 

 

Steven Gerrard

"Liverpool players should be laid back, excited and ready to go. They'll be aware of the Barcelona fixture and use that as motivation but I'm sure thats part of Jurgen's team talk."

Frank Lampard

"The moment they step out on that team they need to be so focused. "

Rio Ferdinand

"[Di Francesco] will have seen something here, the way he set the team up last time was suicidal, you're gonna see a difference."

They've gone back to the 4-3-3 that Di Francesco loves so very much. Roma want to do this their way. 

THE TEAMS ARE IN!

That bench isn't great but the starting XI is exactly what we thought it might be. Liverpool going for the usual ATTACK approach.

And the Italian supporters know it. Jeez that's an atmosphere!

 

It's really difficult to work out how Liverpool might approach this one tonight. Go for the early goal? Play as normal and go full pelt throughout? Sit and defend the lead? I did a tactical preview of the game this morning which you can read here:

 

It's not only the talented ones in Rome who can draw Mo Salah. That's right. Here's my incredible effort. Feel free to tweet me yours. 

Is that Joe Allen skulling a tinny pre-match?!

(no)

These young lads have made their way to the stadium nice and early, avoiding the crammed shuttle buses that supporters have been urged to take instead of walking to the Stadio Olimpico.

Everything I've heard/read indicates a nice atmosphere around Rome - no trouble whatsoever. Let's hope that stays the same! 

Michelangelo can paint as many ceilings as he wants - nothing he ever produced comes close to this wondrous portrait:

My god it's beautiful. Art... will never be the same again.

 

Welcome to our liveblog for this enormous occasion, a Champions League semi-final second leg between AS Roma and Liverpool! Real Madrid await the winner in the final but who will join them? Liverpool have a three goal lead, Roma have two away goals - and they already completed one miraculous comeback against the mighty Barcelona before that. 

Liverpool fans have been enjoying themselves in Rome all day, taking in the beautiful sights, sounds and culture... of the local bars, where beer isn't particularly cheap.

(On a strange side note, I noticed when in Rome that they seem to think Tennent's Super is not only an acceptable lager, but something which should be considered a treat and have money spent on it).

That won't matter to Liverpool fans though and by all accounts, there's been no trouble whatsoever thus far.

Team news should be with us at about 6:30pm-ish, possibly closer to 6:45pm, and at that point we'll be able to figure out how both managers plan to approach this one. Roma will likely revert to their preferred 4-3-3 and really take the game to Liverpool, who will again try to utilise their pace and trickery to grab that one crucial away goal which would kill off the tie.

You can enjoy all the build up and live analysis from the game with us right here.