Liverpool face Bologna for the first time in the Champions League and Alisson could make a breakthrough on his birthday.
Liverpool’s Brazilian goalkeeper is celebrating his 32nd birthday and is set to make his 50th European appearance for Liverpool.
The only Liverpool goalkeeper to have played more games in Europe is Ray Clemens, who won the European Cup three times in 80 appearances.
Match against Italian team
This will be Manchester United’s fourth successive match in Europe against Italian opponents.
Despite this being Liverpool’s 49th season in European competition, this is the first time the two clubs have met in European competition. Bologna will be Liverpool’s 137th European opponent and the Italian side’s 10th.
Two players scored three goals in a match against Italian teams. Steven Gerrard came on as a substitute against Napoli in November 2010, while Diogo Jota played in the away game against Atalanta in November 2020.
Liverpool have failed to score in just five of their last 38 European matches.
This season marks the eighth time that Manchester United have faced opposition from Italy. Home and away, they have faced Italian clubs 42 times, winning 20 and losing 18.
At home, Liverpool have played against Italian clubs 18 times, recording 10 wins, 1 draw and 7 losses.
Liverpool have lost three of their last five Anfield matches against Italian opponents.
Mo Salah could set another record
In the win at AC Milan two weeks ago, Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk became only the second centre-backs to score in the same Liverpool game in 50 years.
The only other occasion was a 4-3 home win in the Europa League against Borussia Dortmund, with Mamadou Sakho and Dejan Lovren both scoring.
Mo Salah has eight goals in his last eight Champions League appearances and 47 goals in 76 European appearances for Liverpool. He has a total of 48 goals in the Champions League.
Salah has scored five goals in three career games against Bologna, including a hat-trick in Roma’s 3-0 home win in November 2016.
The Egyptian has scored more goals (47) for a single English club than any other player in European history.
He is two goals away from reaching 50 Champions League goals and has scored more goals in the competition than any other African player in history.
Nine of Salah’s Liverpool goals have come against Italian sides in 17 appearances.
scorer this season
Liverpool: Dias 5, Salah 5, Jota 3, Gakpo 2, Konate 2, Nunez 1, Szoboszlai 1, Van Dijk 1
Bologna: Castro 3, Fabbian 1, Iling-Junior 1, Orsolini 1, Urbanski 1
* Statistics provided by LFC statistician Ged Rea (@ged0407).
