Vincenzo Montella is set to lead the AS Roma forward line instead of Gabriel Batistuta in Thursday evening's UEFA Cup clash with Liverpool at Rome's Olympic Stadium.
With the Italian first division title Roma's priority this season, manager Fabio Capello is unlikely to risk his Argentinian top scorer, who has had a troublesome knee injury all year.
The player has been told by doctors that rest is the only cure and Roma, who rested Batistuta for the first two Serie A games after the winter break, are unlikely to risk him. They will instead keep him for Sunday's home match with Lecce.
There is better news for Francesco Totti who missed last week's 2-1 victory at Bologna butis likely to return in his creative role behind fellow Italian internationals Montella and Marco Delvecchio.
The Roma-Liverpool match is a rematch of the 1984 European Cup final won on penalties by the English side after the match finished 1-1 - and Roma are keen to gain revenge.
AFP