De Rossi starts for Roma against Porto

Rome (AFP) – Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi and Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas will start in Tuesday’s Champions League last-16 first leg at the Stadio Olimpico.

Both sides have opted for 4-3-3 lineups with De Rossi, 35, who has recently returned from injury, joined in midfield by Lorenzo Pellegrini and Bryan Cristante.

Home goalkeeper Robin Olsen, recovering from a slight calf problem, starts on the bench with Antonio Mirante stepping in between the posts.

Teenage sensation Nicolo Zaniolo joins Edin Dzeko and Stephan El Shaarawy in the Roman attack.

Ex-Real Madrid star Casillas, 37, is in the Porto goal with Brazilian forward Tiquinho Soares replacing Moussa Marega.

Roma reached the semi-finals last season before falling to Liverpool, but have never beaten Porto who have won the competition twice, most recently in 2004 under Jose Mourinho.

Sergio Conceicao’s Porto last reached the quarter-finals in 2015, and beat Roma 4-1 on aggregate in the 2016-2017 playoffs.

Roma (4-3-3)

Antonio Mirante; Alessandro Florenzi, Kostas Manolas, Federico Fazio, Aleksandar Kolarov; Bryan Cristante, Daniele De Rossi (capt), Lorenzo Pellegrini; Nicolo Zaniolo, Edin Dzeko, Stephan El Shaarawy

Porto (4-3-3)

Iker Casillas; Eder Militao, Pepe, Felipe, Alex Telles; Hector Herrera (capt), Danilo Pereira, Fernando; Otavio, Francisco Soares, Yacine Brahimi

Referee: Danny Makkelie (NED)