Roma’s 2015/16 Champions League campaign got off to a solid start with a 1-1 draw against reigning champions Barcelona at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday night, continuing their unbeaten start to the season.
The away team played their typical game and dominated possession but only managed to go ahead through a Luis Suarez tap in from a couple of yards out, before Alessandro Florenzi produced a moment of magic to equalise from the halfway line.
The hosts’ defence were on excellent form from the off so it was a bit on the unlucky side when Barcelona finally broke the deadlock after 20 minutes thanks to a Luis Suarez header.
The Giallorossi then managed to get their reward in some style, with Alessandro Florenzi scoring the goal of the season already and his first European goal with a superb strike from just inside the Spanish half flying through the air and over the head of retreating Marc-Andre ter Stegen into the back of the net.
Roma looked switched on and alert to Barcelona’s memorising possession and skill and deserved the 1-1 draw as the teams went into the half-time break.
The second half was much of the same with the Italians losing in possession statistics but stopping the threat of the Spaniard’s attacking trio up front and showing bigger desire to get the three points than their opponents.
Barcelona began to get frustrated and created a few more chances, with the best being a Lionel Messi strike that skimmed the crossbar as it flew over 15 minutes from time.
Roma defender Kostas Manolas cleared off the line in the dying seconds to grab a point and sit joint second in Group E after the first round of European games, before they travel to BATE Borisov on September 29 for the next.
