Alisson confident his side can turn Lyon tie around

The Giallorossi enter the second leg 4-2 down on aggregate, with a place in the quarter-finals of the competition on the line.

Roma face Lyon trailing 4-2 from the first leg. What sort of game are you expecting?

“I expect it to be quite like the first leg but with a different result! They're a very good side and they were excellent in the first match. They're strong at the back and good up front, as we saw in France.

"We're an excellent team, though. We have to do the things we've worked on in training and take inspiration from what we've done so far this season.”

What's your frame of mind going into this game?

“We're still alive and kicking. The first-leg result wasn't what we wanted but we got two away goals and that's important. The tie isn't over yet. We have another 90 minutes to play and we'll do everything we can to turn it around.”

How hard is it to prepare for a Europa League return leg knowing you start with a two-goal disadvantage?

“It is hard but from a mental perspective in some ways it's better than being ahead, when you might be inclined to under-estimate the opposition subconsciously. We have to chase the tie now but we know what we're capable of. We have every chance of flipping it around.”

What went wrong in the first leg?

“We made a few mistakes in defence and up front but we're a team: when one of us makes a mistake, we all do. I think we played really well in the first half then after the break we were below par.

"Our possession play wasn't as good as it should have been. We know what we need to do differently.”

Luciano Spalletti has said this is a team capable of coming up with the goods when the going gets tough. What's the mood in the dressing room like at the moment?

“It's good. We're working hard and doing what the coach wants us to do in training. If we approach the game with the right mentality, we can turn the tie around.”

Clement Grenier impressed on his full debut against Palermo. Did you expect him to make such an impact?

“Yes, because he's very good. I could see that in training and now everyone's seen it. He's got great ability and he's putting it at the service of the team.”

Emerson Palmieri is another player who has surprised a few people this season...

“I didn't know much about him when I was in Brazil but when I came here I saw straight away that he's a top-quality player. He didn't play much in Brazil but he's doing a great job here. He's won everyone over: the coach, the fans and his team-mates.”