ROMA ROUT BARCELONA
Rome, April 11: Roma have their sights on Kiev and the Champions League final after completing a miracle comeback against Barcelona on Tuesday to overhaul a three- goal first- leg deficit and take their place in the competition’s last four.
The Italian capital came alive after a magical night at the Stadio Olimpico in which Roma — fourth in Serie A and fresh from being booed off in a 0- 2 defeat against Fiorentina at the weekend — swept Lionel Messi and Co. aside 3- 0 in front of a crowd that roared itself hoarse.
Trailing 1- 4 after last week’s quarter- final, first leg at the Camp Nou, Edin Dzeko, Daniele De Rossi and Kostas Manolas all scored to take them through to the semi- finals on away goals against all the odds.
Car horns blared and fans poured into the streets across the Eternal City as supporters hailed an incredible result for a success- starved club.
The last time Roma got so far in Europe’s top competition was back in 1984, when the Giallorossi contrived to lose the final on penalties to Liverpool at their own ground.
In the intervening three decades they have won just one league title and four Italian Cups, but after seeing off what winning goalscorer Manolas called “the best team on the planet”, coach Eusebio Di Francesco wants his team to aim for May’s final in the Ukrainian capital.
PRIDE RESTORED Roma have brought some pride back not just to Rome but to Italian football after the country’s humiliating failure to qualify for the World Cup earlier in the season.
Beating one of the giants from Spain, who hammered Italy 3- 0 in qualifying for this year’s tournament in Russia, will be particularly sweet, especially after championselect Juventus were bashed 3- 0 on their own patch by Real Madrid last week.
“Italy needed a European team, and that’s what we were tonight. Today is a great moment, but it’s not enough,” added Di Francesco.
RED SIGNAL FOR CITY Meanwhile at Manchester, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola blasted Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz and lamented decisions that cost his side dear after a 1- 2 home defeat by Liverpool on Tuesday sealed a 5- 1 aggregate Champions League quarterfinal win for the five- time European champions.
Guardiola was forced to watch the second half from the stands after being sent off for his protestations at the break as free- spending City’s dreams of conquering the Champions League for the first time were dashed for another season.