Full Everton Legends Squad Revealed For Roma Match

One of the most famed double-acts in modern Everton history will be restored at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday.

Leighton Baines and Steven Pienaar, who together formed the telepathic 'Bainaar' partnership down Everton's left flank, will repeat their dynamic double-act in the Everton Legends versus AS Roma legends match.

They will be joined by midfielder James McCarthy, who will be reprising his own successful midfield partnership with Gareth Barry.

AS Roma will be captained by club legend Vincent Candela, who won the scudetto and the Supercoppa Italiana with Roma, and was capped 40 times by France between 1996 and 2003.

A member of the 1998 World Cup winning squad and the triumphant 2000 Euros, he also played for France at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games and at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Baines will be on duty in the Everton dugout alongside manager David Moyes during the first team friendly against AS Roma which kicks off at 3pm, then at 5.15pm he will line up alongside Pienaar in Peter Reid's squad for the sell-out showpiece.

The pair made 185 appearances together and remain one of the most naturally dynamic partnerships Evertonians had seen at Goodison Park for years.

Put together by David Moyes in 2007 they were still reproducing their near telepathic play almost a decade later when Roberto Martinez said: “Leighton and Steven have as good a chemistry as you’re going to find in football.

“You get special partnerships in football. Leighton and Stevie have developed that over the years so it is important to us.

“Look at the stats. Last season they were probably the most successful partnership in the league."

In a 2012 interview Baines explained how their partnership worked.

"A lot of the time we just do things instinctively. It’s his instinct and football intelligence that sees him take up great positions and I know that if I give it to him and make a run, even if he doesn’t use me, he never loses the ball. I know the move isn’t going to break down and I’m not going to find myself out of position. That’s the trust element. I don’t have to worry. I get on with playing."

Baines and Pienaar are added to a squad which includes McCarthy, Theo Walcott, Darron Gibson, Marcus Bent, Andy Johnson, James Vaughan, Mark Pembridge, Steven Naismith, James McFadden, Yakubu, Gareth Barry and goalkeeper Jan Mucha.

The AS Roma squad, managed by Fabio Capello, is Candela, Amelia, Aldair, Zago, Zebina, Perrotta, Brighi, Pizarro, Lima, Tonetto, Perotti, Delvecchio, Tommasi, Balzaretti, Di Biagio, Faty, Maini, Rosi, Scarchilli and D'Agostino.

The game on Saturday 9 August will be the last test event at Hill Dickinson Stadium as David Moyes' Blues take on their Serie A counterparts Roma at 3pm. Then, at 5.15pm it's the Legends' turn to dust off their boots and make their mark on the 52,769-capacity stadium.