- Barcelona take on Roma in the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday
- The Catalan giants lead 4-1 after a dominant first leg victory at the Camp Nou
- Two own goals, Gerard Pique and Luis Suarez gave the La Liga leaders control
- Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen insisted the tie is not over before second leg
Barcelona’s pursuit for domestic and European success will take another major stride forward barring a collapse against Roma in their Champions League quarter-final second leg.
The two sides meet in the Italian capital on Tuesday but despite the grandeur of both teams, the match was arguably settled at the Camp Nou with Ernesto Valverde’s side rampaging to a 4-1 win.
Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen heaped praise on the club’s medical team and the ‘system’ in place that ensures the club’s top stars are continually fit to play in big matches.
Barcelona’s stars congregate ahead of training in Rome as they prepare to take on Roma
Luis Suarez scored in the 4-1 first leg as Barca took control of the Champions League tie
Lionel Messi is expected to play a big role at the Stadio Olympico against Roma on Tuesday
Goalkeeper Marc-Andrew ter Stegen hailed the ‘system’ the club have to keep top stars fit
‘We have a system that means we always have our best players available and that helps us in big matches,’ the German goalkeeper said in the pre-match press conference.
Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi both looked sharp as the La Liga leaders took to training in Rome and both will want to add to their Champions League goal hauls against Eusebio Di Francesco’s side.
Unsurpsingly for Barcelona, much of the session centered around possession drills and at one stage Messi was in the middle of a circle hunting down the ball as his team-mates jockeyed from man-to-man.
Messi found himself attempting to retrieve the ball as the Catalans toy with the Argentine
Ernesto Valverde’s side are eyeing their first Champions League title since the 2014-15 season
Two own goals and strikes from Gerard Pique and Suarez heaped misery on the Italians and allowed Barcelona to cast one eye on a semi-final spot.
But the suggestion that the tie is all but over did not seem to be shared by ter Stegen and his team-mates as they insist a lack of focus may prove costly.
‘We have an advantage that we must defend,’ he said.
Messi and co last lifted the European cup in Berlin following a dominant 3-1 against Juventus
‘However, we will have to give them a good match to make progress in the Champions League. Roma have a lot of quality.’
The Catalans last won the competition in the 2014-15 season but have since seen rivals Real Madrid record back-to-back European titles.
Zinedine Zidane’s side are eyeing a famous treble and themselves hold a three-goal cushion heading into their second leg tie against Juventus on Wednesday.
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