Champions League: Totti Has an Owie

By: Martha | April 10th, 2007

This is too cute. Yes, I'm a girl. The main focus of the Roma press conference in Manchester yesterday was evidently the health of Francesco Totti who we foolishly thought was all healed and ready to go. It turns out, however, that as soon as his back stopped hurting, he picked up a thigh problem and is no longer a lock to start or even play tomorrow. Oh dear.

Though Roma handily beat Catania on Saturday without him, Man U are an entirely different story (no offense, Catania), and I’d rather not see the Giallorossi face this particular challenge Totti-less. That said, I really don’t think they will. I’m not basing this on any inside information, mind you (Spalletti seems to have lost my cell number), but my guess is that everyone is being verbally cautious more to pump up the underdog angle than anything else. After all, photos from yesterday’s training session make it clear that Totti ran like everyone else, and if there was a problem he certainly wouldn’t have been risked in that way. Right?

Despite Roma’s impressive form of late and Man U’s horrible injury problems (not to mention the suspension of Paul Scholes), the bookies as a whole seem quite convinced the English club will be moving on to the semis, leaving Roma weeping on the Old Trafford pitch. And yeah, it must be said that away goal was brutal, and does allow Man U to head into this game with more hope than they really should have, given the hour they spent playing a man down last week. But they still need to score today in order to make that matter, and I’ve got complete confidence in Roma’s ability to shut the game down* and counter, just like they did against Lyon. So, call me crazy, but — assuming Totti plays — I think Roma are going through. No clue on the score — My random guesses are 0-0 or 2-1 to Roma — but I refuse to be anything but optimistic. (And, if you disagree with me, I will put my fingers in my ears and sing like I’m five years old. You’ve been warned.)

*Full disclosure: I am terrified of Cristiano Ronaldo and am currently pretending he doesn’t exist.