Trailing 4-1 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. "Perhaps the greatest night in Roma's history," was how daily Il Fatto Quotidiano described the result on Twitter. 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.Barcelona showed no fight vs. Roma. https://t.co/QS6zop2IBw pic.twitter.com/rnfomZboIW
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 11, 2018
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. "Why shouldn't we believe? If you come all this way and get to the semi-finals, why shouldn't you believe in getting to the final in Kiev," he asked reporters after the historic win.Roma's chances to overcome Barcelona and advance to the semifinals were so long that a prominent Las Vegas sportsbook didn't even take bets. https://t.co/YbBQ3Uv0l8 pic.twitter.com/pRaf1tUsKE
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 11, 2018
- 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 champions-elect 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. "This team needs to aim for Kiev. And that's it."Despite their patchy domestic form, which sees them battling with Inter Milan and local rivals Lazio for a space in next season's Champions League, Roma are through to Friday's draw -- where Liverpool are potential opponents -- on merit. They haven't conceded a goal at home in the whole competition and on Tuesday restricted Barcelona to just three shots on target despite the potent attacking firepower boasted by Ernesto Valverde's side. Barca could easily have already been three down by the time De Rossi slotted home the 58th-minute penalty that made it 2-0 on the night and had the Stadio Olimpico dreaming of victory."Nobody believed in us before the game - they gave us a 5% chance of winning"
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) April 10, 2018
But win, Roma did...⚡️https://t.co/JlDrr4G0Fu #ROMFCB #UCL
Before that, Marc-Andre ter Stegen pulled off a brilliant 37th-minute save from a Dzeko header and off-form club-record signing Patrik Schick wasted two very presentable headed chances. Instead it was up to Manolas to make Roma fans' dreams a reality with an 83rd-minute header that sparked pandemonium on the pitch and in the stands.Roma 3-0 Barcelona #UCL#ASRoma:
— Adriano Del Monte (@adriandelmonte) April 10, 2018
✔️ First SF in 24 years
✔️ 5/5 clean sheets at home (CL)
✔️ Best commentary of 2018 pic.twitter.com/4VUfAeB33J
⏰ Final whistle
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 10, 2018
Roma 3-0 FC Barcelona (4-4 agg, Roma go through on away goals)
⚽ Dzeko, De Rossi and Manolas#RomaBarça #UCL pic.twitter.com/0eJ3T8OitY
