We are Roma and we’re here to f*** shit up.
While Liverpool were busy crushing Manchester City’s European dreams, Roma sent shockwaves across the footballing world by beating Barcelona 3-0 in the Stadio Olimpico to join the Reds in the last four.
Trailing 4-1 from the first-leg, the Serie A side completed a comeback for the ages, with goals from Edin Dzeko, Daniele De Rossi and Konstantinos Manolas seeing them through.
It was a particularly satisfying act of heroic redemption from De Rossi and Manolas, who both scored own goals at the Camp Nou in the first leg.
De Rossi struck a penalty to make it 2-0 in Rome before Manolas clinched the tie in dramatic fashion with a beautiful glancing header to whip Giallorossi fans up into an ecstatic frenzy.
Gary Lineker, former England international, Match of the Day presenter and all-round Twitter boss, eloquently captured the prevailing sense of bewilderment at Barcelona’s collapse.
Barça! What the fuck?
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) April 10, 2018
It’s not the first time Lineker has succinctly summed up the mood of millions in a few words.
He wasn’t the only one at a loss, either.
🔊 Valverde: "We are sorry for the fans. Now we have to carry on and focus on what's left for us" #RomaBarça pic.twitter.com/ZIiIhEMHGa
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 10, 2018
Last year Roma manager Di Francesco had faced already Barcelona manager Valverde in Europa League, when he was at Sassuolo and Valverde at Athletic Bilbao.
Result:
Sassuolo-Athletic Bilbao 3-0— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) April 10, 2018
Barcelona goals conceded in Champions League this season:
OTHER TEAMS: 3
ROMA: 4 pic.twitter.com/EzQDCilodo
— Football Factly (@FootballFactly) April 10, 2018
https://twitter.com/G14_en/status/983814539853664256
Roma are the third side to overturn a 3 or more goal deficit in Champions League history after first leg in the knockout stages to qualify. Deportivo vs Milan in 2003/04 and Barcelona vs PSG in 2016/17. pic.twitter.com/BENB5Vtp5N
— Bolarinwa Olajide (@iambolar) April 10, 2018
Reporter: Who are favourites to win UCL ?
Guardiola: “Who does Messi play for?”
Reporter: “Barcelona.”
Guardiola: “So they're the favourites.”. pic.twitter.com/FOMV8WxOpD
— Aira Jiso (@AiraJiso) April 10, 2018
GRAZIE ROMA!💛❤️#ASRoma #RomaBarca #UCL pic.twitter.com/s0XrHMJUO1
— AS Roma (@OfficialASRoma) April 10, 2018
*record scratch*
*freeze frame*
Yup, that's me. You're probably wondering how I ended up in this situation…#ASRoma #UCL #RomaBarca pic.twitter.com/J9Vbq68e77
— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) April 10, 2018