Amidst a smorgasbord of other mouth-watering options in the Champions League second round, Lyon-Roma could be considered something of a forgotten series. However, American viewers, at least those who subscribe to Setanta Sports USA (5 pm ET) or ESPN Deportes (midnight ET), will get the opportunity to watch on delay later on Tuesday what could prove to be the second round’s most interesting tactical encounter.
Roma, the leading scorer in Serie A, plays a free-flowing style of soccer not dissimilar to a Barcelona team featuring all of its playmakers. The Giallorossi crowd the midfield while Francesco Totti plays the point man. On a good day, the likes of Taddei, Mancini and Simone Perrotta thrust forward, making dangerous runs in behind the defense by playing off Totti. The result is some spectacular team goals.
Lyon, on the other hand, has the stingiest defense in the Champions League this season. Despite once again running away with the Ligue 1 title, the five-time French champion has shown chinks in its armor since the new year. However, a solid defensive display in Rome two weeks ago earned the French club a 0-0 draw in the first leg, though the slight advantage may go to Roma because the Italians know an away goal or two could be enough to see them through.