Champions League: Fortunate Barcelona close to securing UCL semi-final spot
What's the story
Containing Barcelona from scoring goals is a hard enough task and AS Roma only piled more misery on themselves as two own goals from the Italians helped the Catalans secure a 4-1 win in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. The result means Barcelona are favourites to clinch their first semi-final spot since the 2014-15 winning campaign.
Blunders
Barcelona gifted two own goals by Roma
Roma started strong but a blunder from De Rossi saw Barcelona take the lead. Rossi attempted a tackle but sent the ball into his own net. Manolas then scored the second own goal of the night. He denied Umiti of a goal by kicking the ball onto the crossbar only to watch it rebound and take a deflection off his knee into the net.
Twitter Post
Barcelona have been given too many free gifts
5 - Barcelona have benefited from more own goals this CL season than any other team has in one season in Champions League history. Helpful.
— OptaJohan (@OptaJohan) April 4, 2018
Comfortable lead
Suarez and Pique hand Barcelona a healthy lead
Gerard Pique scored Barcelona's third goal of the night after Roma goalkeeper Alisson was forced into a save by Luis Suarez and the ball landed into the path of Pique who steered it into an empty net. Luis Suarez then scored Barcelona's fourth goal capitalizing on the defensive errors by Roma to end his lengthy Champions League drought.
Twitter Post
Suarez ends his long goal drought
392 - Luis Suarez has scored his first Champions League goal since 8th March 2017 vs PSG, 392 days ago. Relief. pic.twitter.com/7n4U2lGOcE
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) April 4, 2018
Difficult task
Roma left with too much to do in return leg
Roma's only brilliant moment on the pitch came when Edin Dzeko scored a priceless away goal in the 80th minute. The goal has given the Italian side some hope as they host Barcelona in the second leg of the quarterfinal on April 11. But with a 3-goal deficit, Roma might have been left with too much to do in the second leg.