Champions League Quarter-Final Overview: AS Roma vs Barcelona
The first game featuring a team with optimistic comeback hopes will feature a battered Roma side against a Barcelona side that has continued to maintain their consistently good form into the business end of the season. After a comprehensive 4-1 first leg victory in the Camp Nou, Barcelona have one foot in the semi-finals. Barring a complete collapse in Rome, Valverde will keep their treble hopes alive. Messi will come into this second leg in scintillating form after scoring a hattrick at the weekend in a 3-1 victory against Leganes. Roma, on the other hand, will be looking to bounce back from consecutive defeats after losing 2-0 to Fiorentina at the weekend in Serie A. History will not be on Roma’s side, however, with the Italians having lost their last four matches in the quarterfinals. Barcelona, meanwhile, will be looking to advance to the semi-finals after having lost last season to Juventus at this stage of the competition.
Key Match Points
- Barcelona are the only team still unbeaten in La Liga. Messi looks to be slowly regaining his fitness after sitting out both Argentina games during the international break.
- Suarez scored his first Champions League goal in one year in the first leg. With Coutinho cup-tied, Suarez and Messi will again be the key attacking players in this second leg.
- Dzeko will hope to inspire a comeback for his Roma side, but they have been quite shaky at home this season with seven defeats being suffered in the Stadio Olympico.
- Cengiz Ünder is in Roma's roster for the second leg, as he did not feature in the first. Can he provide a spark for the Romans?