Roma enjoyed a perfect dress rehearsal for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie with Liverpool when Radja Nainggolan and Patrick Schick struck after a Francesco Vicari own goal to give them a 3-0 win at Spal in Serie A on Saturday.

The result left Roma third on 67 points from 34 games, three ahead of their city rivals, Lazio, and four ahead of Internazionale, who both have a game in hand in the three-way battle for two Champions League slots.

With one eye on Tuesday’s clash with Liverpool at Anfield the Roma coach, Eusebio di Francesco, left the bulk of his regular starters on the bench and the makeshift side delivered with a classy performance at relegation-threatened Spal.

After a cagey opening half-hour Vicari fired Roma ahead in the 33rd minute when he poked the ball into his own net from seven metres in an attempt to divert a Lorenzo Pellegrini pass to the advancing Kevin Strootman.

Spal’s keeper, Alex Meret, made two fine saves before half-time but was powerless in the 52nd minute, when Nainggolan unleashed a swerving volley into the bottom right corner from the edge of the penalty area.

Pellegrini provided another superb assist in the 59th minute for Schick to head home from close range as Roma turned on the heat, with Stephan El Shaarawy missing several chances including a diving header which hit a post.

Roma’s keeper, Alison Becker, was rarely called into action but made two good saves to deny Alberto Paloschi and Mirko Antenucci, leaving Spal in 17th place on 29 points from 34 games, one ahead of Crotone who have a game in hand.

In the Bundesliga Lewis Holtby kept alive Hamburg’s hopes of survival by beating their fellow relegation candidates Freiburg 1-0. Holtby eluded two defenders before firing home early in the second half.

The former European champions, who are the only team to have played in the Bundesliga in every season since its creation in 1963, are 17th on 25 points, five behind Freiburg, who are in the relegation play-off spot in 16th. Hamburg had their keeper, Julian Pollersbeck, to thank for keeping a clean sheet in the first half before Holtby snatched the winner.

Bayern Munich warmed up for Real Madrid’s visit in the Champions League semi-final first leg on Wednesday with a comfortable 3-0 win in Hannover. Thomas Müller and Robert Lewandowski, on as substitutes, scored to put the champions in control, the latter taking his league-leading tally to 28. Sebastian Rudy completed the scoring late on.

RB Leipzig’s hopes of Champions League football suffered a blow after being routed at home by Hoffenheim 5-2 while Stuttgart defeated Werder Bremen 2-0 at home to ensure their safety.