The match against Liverpool will be special for James Pallotta for numerous reasons. Playing in the Champions League semifinal is special in it of itself, but even more so in this case since he’ll face fellow Boston entrepreneur John Henry, the current Liverpool owner. Roma’s president spoke to Sky Sport 24 about various topics as the giallorossi get ready to play at Anfield:”I’m a true Bostonian, I grew up a few steps away from Boston. John Henry and Tom Werner aren’t real Bostonians, they moved here. But we’ve known each for years thanks to sports. From Celtics or Red Sox, and even before then, John and I worked at the same hedge fund. I’m certain that who will win this derby will have the right and the desire to brag”
Pallotta was then asked about a former Roma star: “Salah? We know his qualities and those of the other players: they have a strong attack like Barcelona and Chelsea, but we’re a very good team and we proved it. I don’t think he’s the most dangerous player, they all are. If he didn’t have a team that supported him he wouldn’t score all these goals. Klopp is a great manager, last year he didn’t do very well, but I believe all managers need time to put their stamp on the team. Salah is the example of this: he put him in the right position compared to when he played for us. With us he didn’t play in same way because we had Dzeko in the middle.
Pallotta then addressed the situation of one of his players who is in high demand on the transfer market: “I have no intention to sell Alisson, I know many, also Liverpool have said they want him. I’m certain that some team will offer a lot of money to have him, in that moment the decision will be up to the manager and Monchi, but we don’t want to sell him: he’s an important piece of what we want to build, we want people like him. If we think of the Pjanic and Salah sales we had no choice. It wasn’t a decision that we want to sell. We’ve had some difficulties with Financial fair Play, but once it’s resolved we’ll change the dynamics”
