Barcelona boss feels advantage is deserved

BARCELONA boss Ernesto Valverde thinks his side merited the three-goal advantage they will take into the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Roma.

The Nou Camp has witnessed far more memorable European nights but Valverde’s side seem certain to qualify for the last four of the competition for the first time in three seasons after a 4-1 victory.

Own goals from Daniele De Rossi and Kostas Manolas set Barca on their way, with Gerard Pique adding a third. Edin Dzeko appeared to have kept Roma in the tie when he pulled one back late on but they could not prevent Luis Suarez netting his first Champions League goal of the season.

Valverde said: “Football is a game of errors. You want to make your rivals commit them and avoid them yourself. We want our players to be perfect, never make errors, but we do.

“During the season there are all types of games. Ones where you merit more than you get and ones where you get more than you merit. We scored the goals we merited, they attacked us and got the goal they were looking for, which made our fourth important.”

Barcelona have now benefited from five own goals this season, more than any other team in Champions League history, but Pique insisted it is not just good fortune.

He said: “It’s not just luck we get own goals in our favour. Things happen for a reason.

“I think that if these goals go our way it’s because we press high, we push up in attack, The ball is in the opposition area more than usual in other teams’ matches.

“We played a terrific game. Probably we’d feel better if we hadn’t conceded but we take a decent advantage to Rome.”