Roma will sit back and wait, says Lyon coach Houllier

Olympique Lyon coach Gerard Houllier does not expect Roma to play attacking football in their Champions League last 16 first leg today. "It is the scenario when you play in Italy. They will play in spurts but will not put on constant pressure,"...

Olympique Lyon coach Gerard Houllier does not expect Roma to play attacking football in their Champions League last 16 first leg today.

"It is the scenario when you play in Italy. They will play in spurts but will not put on constant pressure," Houllier told reporters yesterday ahead of the clash at Rome's Olympic Stadium.

"They have outstanding players, such as Francesco Totti, Daniele De Rossi and Simone Perrotta, who are also world champions with Italy," he added.

"We have to keep in mind that they have the best defence of the Serie A. They are a very good team but so are we."

Five-times French champions Lyon have reached the Champions League quarter-finals in the past three years but have always failed to qualify for the last four.

Roma, second in Serie A, gave one of the worst performances of their season in losing 1-0 at Empoli on Saturday when coach Luciano Spalletti left winger Mancini and Brazilian playmaker Taddei - two of their most creative players - out of the team.

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