Barcelona continue their quest to regain the Champions League title they won in 2021 this week when they travel to Italy to face Roma in the first leg of the quarter-finals.
The Catalans, who lost last season’s final to Lyon, have been as good as ever so far in 2022/23, winning every Liga F game they have played and cruising to the knockouts here, with their only group stage defeat coming at the hands of Bayern Munich.
Having only formed in 2018, Roma are competing in the Champions League for the first time this season and have progressed to the knockout rounds at the first attempt after impressing in what was admittedly a favourable group for them.
The Giallorossi won four of their six games, holding two-time former champions Wolfsburg to a draw on matchday three and losing only once in total. They are also leading Serie A by eight points ahead of five-time back-to-back champions Juventus going into the final stretch of the season.
When is kick off? Tuesday 21 March, 20:00 (GMT)
Where is the match being played? Stadio Olimpico
TV channel/live stream? DAZN UEFA Women’s Champions League YouTube
Referee? Iuliana Demetrescu (ROU)
Roma boss Alessandro Spugna will make a late decision on how to use former Barcelona captain Vicky Losada, who he said on Monday is improving in terms of fitness.
Club captain Elisa Bartoli has admitted she is a doubt, having missed the weekend win over Fiorentina in Serie A: “Tomorrow will be the Olympic Games, a dream come true. I don’t know if I’ll be able to be there, I’m going to knock on wood. I told the girls ,’You have to enjoy this moment and live it calmly’.”
Alexia Putellas, Claudia Pina and Mariona Caldentey have not made the trip to Rome.
Expect Jonatan Giraldez to bring the likes of Caroline Graham Hansen, Lucy Bronze, Mapi Leon and Asisat Oshoala back into the starting XI after they dropped to the bench against Valencia on Friday.
Even a Roma side that is the best Italy has to offer is unlikley to be any match for Barcelona.
The Catalans have been untouchable in Spain all season and haven’t scored fewer than four goals in a game since beating Real Sociedad 3-0 in the Supercopa de Espana final in January.
Roma might not allow the kind of walkover Barcelona are used to dishing out, but even just staying alive in the tie before the second leg could be a tall order.
Prediction: Roma 0-3 Barcelona
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