The second part of the UEFA Champions League doubleheader between AS Roma and Barcelona takes place this Tuesday at Stadio Olimpico in Rome. As you probably already know, the score in the first match was 4:1 Barcelona, so Roma are faced with an incredibly difficult challenge. Advancing to the semifinal seems like a mission impossible as Roma need to beat Barça 3:0. Is there a chance they can cause an upset? Find out in this Roma vs. Barcelona match preview!
Roma
This team hasn’t been getting good results lately, which was expected as they’re in the middle of a very tough schedule. After the first game with Barça, they played a Serie A game with Fiorentina, which they lost 2:0 at home. Unfortunately for them, it seems that the bad run might continue even further. After the Tuesday’s Champion s League game, they will play the Rome Derby against Lazio as a part of their Serie A campaign.
What this means is that Roma might decide to give up on the Champions League. After all, beating one of the best teams in history seems pretty difficult, not to mention that they need to score at least 3 goals without allowing a single one.
Of course, this doesn’t mean their manager is willing to risk getting thrashed at home. That’s why I believe Di Francesco will go with his regular players, but will instruct them not to waste too much energy trying to outscore Barça. Instead, I think he’ll set up a very conservative strategy in order to keep his net as safe as possible.
Barcelona
Barcelona fans have nothing to complain about – their team is playing great in the Champions League, while La Liga is almost won. In fact, in order to claim the Spanish trophy, they just need to win 10 more points, or even less, if their rivals fail to do well in the league. So, theoretically, Barcelona can win the title even before El Clasico in May.
All of this means that they can move their focus entirely on the Champions League. But, it seems that they got nothing to worry about getting to the semifinal. Not only does it seem impossible for Roma to score 3 or more goals, but it also seems highly unlikely for Barça not to score on Tuesday. After all, the attack has always been their strongest weapon.
Team News
AS Roma absentees:
- Cengiz Under (injury)
- Rick Karsdorp (injury)
- Diego Perotti (doubtful)
Barcelona absentees:
- Lucas Digne (injury)
- Sergio Busquets (doubtful)
Possible Lineups
AS Roma:
Alisson – Fazio, Manolas, Bruno Peres, Kolarov – De Rossi, Strootman, Nainggolan, Florenzi, Gerson – Dzeko
Barcelona:
Ter Stegen – Pique, Umtiti, Semedo, Alba – Paulinho, Rakitic, Iniesta, Dembele – Messi, Suarez
Roma vs. Barcelona Match Prediction
I don’t think we’re going to see an overly exciting game on Tuesday evening. Of course, it’s impossible for Barça to play a boring game, but they probably won’t be too eager to attack with all they got. Instead, I can see them controlling the game from the first to the last whistle. That said, betting on Barça win with not too many goals seems like the right choice.
Roma vs. Barcelona Betting Tips
- Barcelona @1.66 (bet365)
- Under 3.5 Goals @1.60 (bwin)
