Police escort for Salah

Liverpool started their journey to Rome ahead of today’s potentially historic semi-final against Roma.

Mohamed Salah and Co arrived at John Lennon Airport accompanied by police escort on Tuesday afternoon for their flight to Italy.

The Reds, who had earlier gathered at the club’s Melwood training complex, blew away their opposition at Anfield in the first leg, racing to a 5-0 lead before two late goals from the visitors left the door ever-so-slightly ajar for what would be an incredible comeback at the Stadio Olimpico.

And Italian police have urged Liverpool fans to ‘respect the rules’ in order to stay safe when they visit Rome.

Liverpool fan Sean Cox, who was left in a critical condition after being assaulted outside the stadium, and police are readying themselves for more violence in Italy on Wednesday.

The local Special Branch have been drafted in ahead of the game, with 5,000 Liverpool fans allocated ‘safe zones’ across the city amid fears of further violence.

Officers in Rome will bus visiting fans to the Olympic Stadium under supervision from a meeting point in the Villa Borghese Park, while certain areas have been described as too dangerous for travelling supporters.

One such area is the Duca D’Aosta bridge over the Tiber, where visiting British fans have been ambushed in the past.

Liverpool fans have been warned not to “walk the bridge”, with Giampietro Lionetti, head of Rome’s Special Branch, noting: “These are two sets of fans who don’t back down, so we have work to do.”

Both clubs have also taken extra measures to call for safety, drafting in club legends Robbie Fowler and Francesco Totti to give a message to supporters.

What is certain, however, is that both clubs are bidding for a historic night on the pitch and will be pleading that distractions off it do not overshadow what is set to be a special occasion.