A classy gesture.
Roma visit Anfield on Wednesday night for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Liverpool.
The last time Roma reached the semi-finals was back in 1983-84, while Liverpool have not made the last four for 10 years. Neither side would have been tipped to get this far at the beginning of their respective campaigns, but now that they are where they are, they’ll be backing themselves to go the distance.
Roma captain Daniele De Rossi will be one of the key players on the pitch, anchoring the midfield and protecting the defence against Liverpool’s dangerous attack. He is also a key figure off the pitch. A true leader, he has taken the responsibility of being club captain extremely well since Francesco Totti’s retirement, and has all the ingredients of your archetypal Italian captain.
Tough as nails, hard as they come, De Rossi is combative in the midfield sector. He’s held in high regard by his teammates who regularly speak of his leadership qualities both on and off the field of play. The Italian is a born winner and it’s no wonder he’s so well respected in the game.
He exemplified the class with which he carries himself on Monday, when he laid a wreath at the Hillsborough memorial in Liverpool, in remembrance of those 96 people who died on April 15th 1989.
Club captain Daniele De Rossi lays a wreath at the Hillsborough memorial on behalf of the #ASRoma squad in remembrance of the 96 fans who lost their lives in 1989. pic.twitter.com/RrgYhIK18j
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) April 23, 2018
Respecting the local heritage when visiting another city is paramount, and in doing this De Rossi has shown the utmost respect for the people of Liverpool. The tragedy of that day should never be forgotten and the Roma captain has set an excellent example to his peers.
