Sports

April 4, 2018

Barcelona thrash Roma to close on Champions League semis

Barcelona

Barcelona players

Luis Suarez’s late strike sealed a 4-1 win for Barcelona against Roma in their Champions League quarter-final, first leg on Wednesday to leave the Catalans on the brink of a place in the last four.

messi

Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the UEFA Champions League round of sixteen second leg football match between FC Barcelona and Chelsea FC at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on March 14, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / LLUIS GENE


Lionel Messi was not among the goals on his return to the Barca starting line-up but a pair of own goals from Daniele De Rossi and Kostas Manolas had the hosts in control at the Camp Nou.

Gerard Pique made it three, with Edin Dzeko pulling one back before Suarez completed the scoring late on. Roma have a mountain to climb in next Tuesday’s return.