Football Results

It was expected that this quarter-final duel in the Champions League brings more uncertainty but the 1st leg played at the Camp Nou has showed the difference in quality. Barcelona’s victory of 4-0 widely opens door of the semi-finals for the Catalans, while Roma can only rely in a miracle, in which they probably don’t believe themselves. In the meantime Roma lost in the Italian Serie A to Fiorentina at home, while Barcelona had routinely defeated Leganes. We need to add that Roma won Barcelona 3-0 in the 2002 Champions League, which would be enough now to reach the semi-final.

AS Roma

Right after the draw everyone in Roma’s ranks become aware how difficult is the task that lays ahead of them. The 1st leg showed clearly that they are weaker team than Barcelona. They parried good in the first halftime and it seemed in those moments that Roma can make a good result, but when they received the first goal their game felt apart. After the second goal Roma opened up and tried to improve the situation but they scored no earlier than after the third Barcelona’s goal thanks to the team’s best scorer Dzeko.

If they only preserved those 3-1 their chances to go further will be much better but Roma received the fourth goal in the finish of match and now the difference is very difficult to annul. On top of it came defeat by Fiorentina 2-0 in the league, which pushed them from the third place in the table, while right now the fourth one they currently occupy is also under attack. Good news is that they are complete.

Probable lineups AS Roma: Alisson – Florenzi, Manolas, Fazio, Kolarov – Pellegrini, de Rossi, Strootman – Under, Dzeko, Perotti

FC Barcelona

Barcelona did most of work in the 1st leg and now it needs to calmly play the second match and qualify for the semi-finals. The beginning of match was rough but the Catalans were patient and were waiting for their chance. Roma players helped more than it could be expected since they scored even two own goals. Anyway, it can be said that victory was fully deserved and one received goal shouldn’t be a problem when they managed to score four.

They received a goal in the league match with Leganes too, which was played in Barcelona last Saturday, however, Messi had his day as he scored a hat trick and Barcelona routinely won three new points. Since their rivals from Madrid merely drew the difference between them grew to 11 points and the new title is coming closer. Manager Valverde had rested several players in match with Leganes and he left Iniesta, J. Alba and Umtiti on the bench, while Busquets couldn’t play due to injury and he is questionable for this match too, which means that Paulinho might join the starting line-up.

Probable lineups FC Barcelona: ter Stegen – Semedo, Pique, Umtiti, J .Alba – S. Roberto, Paulinho, Rakitic, Iniesta – Messi, L. Suarez

Verdict:

Everything is probably resolved in regard who is going to the semi-finals and consequently the match could be open on both sides. Roma wants a honourable farewell and will try to win, while Barcelona can use very much open set-up of the home team and fight back.

Pick:  over 3 goals 1.79 - 79/100 @1XBet