Barcelona to continue Champions League domination against Roma
Roma head to Barcelona as the underdogs in the teams' Champions League quarterfinal first leg match. Roma do arrive with some hope, however. Barcelona drew 2-2 at the weekend against Sevilla and put on a very uncharacteristically sloppy performance.
Though the same can almost be said about Roma, who drew with Bologna in Serie A on Saturday.
Roma's plight for a win at Camp Nou will be made ever more difficult without star midfielder Radja Nainggolan. The Belgian is suffering from a muscle injury and Roma will not make a decision on his status until hours before the game. Nainggolan played just 17 minutes against Bologna before limping off.
Barcelona are also sweating the fitness of their star midfielder. Sergio Busquets suffered a broken toe against Chelsea in the previous Champions League round. The Catalans hope he will be fit to play against Roma and the club were given a boost as he returned to training this week. Busquets didn't train for 20 days and could be lacking match fitness for Wednesday.
Although Busquets and Nainggolan could miss out for their respective teams, one man that will not miss the fixture is Barcelona's Lionel Messi. Against Chelsea, the Argentine showed he is needed more than ever at Camp Nou. Messi scored or assisted all four goals Barcelona scored against the English side. Messi was rested against Sevilla at the weekend but had to play the final 30 minutes as Barcelona played terribly without him. Barcelona scored two goals in the final two minutes of the match to secure a draw with Messi scoring the second.
There is growing concern around Barcelona that the team will be unable to win trophies once Messi leaves the club. This year's Champions League campaign has embodied that thinking, and Roma could find hope at Camp Nou on Wednesday night, if Messi is unable to pull his side over the finish line.
Without Nainggolan, Roma will need their fit stars to step up to the plate. Edin Dzeko has scored four goals in the Champions League this term and 14 in Serie A. He rescued the Romans against Bologna at the weekend.
Dzeko's style of play as a big, bruising No. 9 could give Barcelona's centre-backs a difficult test. Samuel Umtiti, who played well against Chelsea in the second leg, had a very different centre forward to mark. Barcelona's defence, although good in La Liga, heavily rely on the team's Messi-led attack to take the pressure off it.
Fortunately for Barcelona, the team will have Messi on the pitch. His presence and having a hand in each goal will take Barcelona into the second leg with an aggregate score lead. A win in Barcelona will continue the Catalans' march to the Champions League Final.
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