Barcelona v Roma – story of the match

Roma are not involved in the league race this season, but they hope to finish in the top-three in Serie A. With eight games left to play, they are 18 points leaders Juventus, and it can be said that their domestic campaign has been underwhelming. Messi has scored six times in the competition this season while De Rossi and Manolas’ unfortunate moments took the tally of own goals Barca have benefited from to five.

“We hit the post a couple of times and the own goals happened because we kept on putting them under pressure, making sure the ball was in their area far more than ours”, he said.

In the seventh minute, Luis Suarez rattled the back of the net but the Uruguayan was judged offside and the goal ruled out.

Lionel Messi’s masterclass power Barcelona past Chelsea last round, and the Argentinean playmaker appears to be at his best given his recent performances.

It means Barca will head to Italy next week with a place in the last four firmly in their grasp but this was not a virtuouso attacking display.

There are also doubts about Sergio Busquets, a key piece of Barcelona’s midfield, who should be in the lineup but is coming off a long layoff because of a broken bone in his foot.

“As soon as the whistle goes, the favourites could well change right from the first piece of play”.

The visitors are expected to be without Radja Nainggolan and Rick Karsdorp.

Luis Suarez had the ball in the back of the Roma net in the seventh minute of the contest, but the striker’s effort was rightly ruled offside.

Barcelona made a slow, sloppy start and were initially restricted to shots from distance, Messi’s 25-yard drive stinging Alisson’s palms before an Ivan Rakitic curler clipped the base of the right-hand post. Referee Danny Makkelie, however, was unmoved.

The Portuguese and the Argentine are both a pleasure to watch, so why do football fans feel the need to incessantly compare them?

Umtiti and his future: “He’s really grown as a player since he joined us”.

Lionel Messi: Even if he didn’t score, he made numerous risky runs and he was also the one who forced De Rossi to score in his own net.

Alessandro Florenzi played a flawless cross from the right flank to the far post, finding an unmarked Diego Perotti, but his header was off target. His attacking substitutions nearly paid off despite the unflattering final scoreline.

Kostas Manolas got the final contact on the ball but this didn’t stop Umtiti wheeling away to claim the goal by grabbing and pointing at Barcelona’s crest on his chest.