Roma’s Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker will play his first game at the Camp Nou tonight, it might not be his last in Spain if he successfully shuts-out Lionel Messi and company.
Real Madrid’s ongoing search for an eventual replacement for 31-year-old Keylor Navas continues to focus on the Premier League but with David De Gea being priced out of their range and Thibaut Courtois affected by the malaise at Chelsea Roma’s stunning 25-year-old stopper is on their agenda.
They are not the only club looking with Liverpool also linked with the keeper who practically single-handedly kept out Atletico Madrid making nine saves in their group stage meeting to ensure the Italians went through at the Spaniards’ expense.
Roma’s Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker will play his first game at the Camp Nou tonight
‘Right now he is the best keeper playing in Italy,’ legendary former Italy keeper Dino Zoff told El Pais. ‘He is very strong, he has great coordination and his positioning is magnificent.’
Roma coach Eusebio Di Francesco said in the build-up to the game: ‘He has shown what an excellent keeper he is this season. And hopefully he will keep doing that against Barcelona.’
Roma’s Sporting Director Monchi has said the player is not for sale but, a former keeper himself, he knows Alisson’s worth, and as an expert at getting the best value for players from his Sevilla days, he also knows that the player’s price will peak if he performs against Barcelona with the whole world watching.
For Barcelona and Messi Alisson is the man to beat but as they take on Roma at the Camp Nou tonight the mood around the team is that the real enemy for Ernesto Valverde’s side is complacency.
When the quarter-final draw was made it looked as if runaway La Liga leader’s pairing with the team 18 points off the pace in Italy was the mismatch of the last eight.
But Barcelona were just two minutes from going down 2-0 to Sevilla at the weekend and although Messi came on to salvage a draw there were enough concerning signs in that game to suggest nothing can be taken for granted tonight.
It might not be his last in Spain if he successfully shuts-out Lionel Messi and company
With Messi fit from the start and the team with its ‘Champions League head’ on it should be a straightforward win but as Valverde said on Tuesday: ‘The favourites tag is meaningless unless you’re a bookmaker.’
Barcelona are the only team left in Europe with an unbeaten league record and they are in the Spanish Cup final but their Champions League form has not been to Real Madrid’s level and they needed to summon all their strength to see off Chelsea in the last round.
Valverde urged supporters to fill the stadium and create the same atmosphere they did for the Chelsea second leg and he did his best to talk up Roma’s virtues.
‘I’m concerned about the way they set themselves up, their positional play, the way they press high and use their attacking full-backs.’
Messi (L) and Barcelona’s Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez (R) will be looking to beat Alisson
It made little impact on local media who then asked if he thought the treble was on this season. Barcelona are expected to see-off a side relying on, among others former Manchester City pair Edin Dzeko and Aleksandar Kolarov but that expectancy might be part of the problem.
Messi, as ever will be the key. He will be up against his international team-mate Federico Fazio and the Greek centre-back Konstantinos Manolas who is a booking away from missing the second leg.
Alongside him Messi will have Luis Suarez who has not scored in the Champions League since last March. He has been in good form since the turn of the year with 12 goals in the league, three in the cup and one for his country but he is yet to get off the mark in Europe.
‘You can’t read too much into the figures,’ said Valverde. ‘He looks just the same as ever to me.’
Messi has scored 12 goals in 19 games against Italian opposition ahead of clash against Roma
Ousmane Dembele will complete Barcelona’s front three as he did against Chelsea with Sergio Busquets coming back into midfield for the first time since he fractured a foot clashing with Olivier Giroud in the last round.
Messi has scored 12 goals in 19 games against Italian opposition and if he has another one of his great European nights then, like Madrid, Barca will have one-foot in the semi-finals.
But Messi must beat Alisson if he is to add to his Champions League tally and lead Barcelona towards the semi-finals. The Brazilian keeper could have as big a say in how this tie goes as his Argentine opponent.