Roma’s preparations for Wednesday’s decisive Champions League game against Manchester City hit a blip when they needed two late goals from Adem Ljajic to deny Sassuolo in Serie A on Saturday.
The Giallorossi rested several key players, including Francesco Totti, Ashley Cole and the former Arsenal attacker Gervinho, although Kevin Strootman, who has been strongly linked with a move to Manchester United, made his first start since March after knee surgery.
Having won all their home league games by two goals or more, Roma found themselves 2-0 down after 18 minutes following a brace from Simone Zaza. Rudi García’s team were faced with an even taller order when Daniele de Rossi was sent off for a second bookable offence four minutes into the second half.
But Ljajic pulled one back in the 78th minute before earning a point two minutes into injury time. Roma remain three points behind Juventus who require a draw against Atlético Madrid to progress from their Champions League group.
Liverpool’s opponents on Tuesday, Basel, were initially made to work hard but in the end enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 win at Luzern in the Swiss Super League. Matias Delgado scored the first two goals early in the second half before Breel Embolo sealed the points in the final minute to extend Basel’s lead over FC Zurich to eight points after 18 games. Basel have suffered defeat once in nine outings, a 1-0 loss at Real Madrid on 26 November.
Galatasaray, who welcome Arsenal to Istanbul on Tuesday but are resigned to bottom place in Group D no matter what the result, were 2-1 winners at home to Akhisar Belediyespor on Saturday. Burak Yilmaz found the net in both halves, meaning Theofanis Gekas’s late strike was no more than a consolation as Galatasaray maintained their one-point lead over Fenerbahce at the top of the Super Lig.
Sporting Lisbon travel to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday needing a point against an already-qualified Chelsea to progress to the last 16 and will be filled with confidence having continued their rich run of form by winning 3-1 at Boavista.
Marco Silva’s team have won their past four matches, scoring 14 times and conceding only twice, but remain eight points adrift of the Liga Sagres pacesetters, Benfica, after 12 games.
