Barcelona 5-1 Roma (agg: 6-1): Barça march on after five-star show

Barcelona reached a fifth successive UEFA Women's Champions League semi-final after making light work of Roma in front of almost 55,000 fans at the Camp Nou.

Match in brief: Barça in cruise control

Asisat Oshoala was among the scorers for BarcelonaGetty Images

A goal up from last week's keenly contested first leg, Barcelona started well and were rewarded when Fridolina Rolfö fired in following Asisat Oshoala's knockdown.

They had to wait until after the half-hour for the second goal, but it was definitely worth the wait as Mapi León thundered in a brilliant effort from 30 metres.

The third goal, on the stroke of half-time, was arguably even better as a wonderful team move ended when Caroline Graham Hansen's low cross presented Rolfö with a tap-in.

Any hopes of stemming the flow after the break for Roma were soon over when Oshoala pounced following good work from Aitana Bonmatí.

Patricia Guijarro took advantage of a free header to add the fifth, before Annamaria Serturini got one back for the Italian side with a fine low shot from the edge of the area.

Fridolina Rolfö was named Visa Player of the MatchUEFA via Getty Images

Visa Player of the Match: Fridolina Rolfö

"Scored two goals and constantly caused problems to the Roma defence, both by linking up with her team-mates and when she was one-on-one with opponents."
UEFA Technical Observer panel

Graham Hunter, Barcelona reporter

Jonatan Giráldez's messages over the previous few days were borne out as Barcelona took Roma apart. The Galician coach emphasised his belief that some of his players took their foot off the pedal last week in the Italian capital, and he consistently demanded ruthlessness in this return leg. He also emphasised that having a Clásico in between the Roma encounters had been a test, and that winning 'only' 1-0 against Real Madrid didn't suggest his team were under par. This proved it. Relentless, ruthless, successful and entertaining. Bring on the semi-finals.

Francesco Corda, Roma reporter

Roma deserve credit for what they have been able to achieve as UEFA Women's Champions League debutants, but tonight at the Camp Nou they had to bow to the overwhelming power of Barcelona, who reached the semi-finals for the fifth season in a row. The 5-1 win testifies to the superiority of the Blaugrana: tonight, unlike the first leg at the Olimpico, they were really clinical. For Alessandro Spugna's Giallorosse and Serturini, there is nonetheless the satisfaction of having scored in a football temple and having been on an excellent journey.

Roma savour their consolation goalAFP via Getty Images

Reaction

Jonatan Giráldez, Barcelona coach: "That was one of the most concentrated and focused team performances for some time. It's great to be playing like this, a top match, in front of so many of our fans in this great stadium, and I'm pleased to have sealed our passage to the semi-finals."

Fridolina Rolfö, Barcelona defender and Player of the Match: "We had to put on a big show because we knew that last week in Rome we could have done better. The crowd helped; they were singing from start to finish and they give us energy. I really felt that today and there's no question it helps."

Alessandro Spugna, Roma coach: "Barcelona are very good. They began the season as one of the favourites for this season. They are excellent all through their squad. Really good and they can go a lot further in this tournament. That means I'm not only very proud of how we've tested and pushed them across these two games but very proud of the road Roma have travelled in order to reach the quarter-finals for the first time."

Vicky Losada, Roma midfielder: "We missed a few chances last week and we knew precisely how Barcelona would react. They are very strong, but we have big objectives left in our season. In fact, in a couple of days we have a massive match against Milan. It's already time to push this from our minds and concentrate on league business."

Key stats

• Barcelona have won each of their last 18 home Women’s Champions League matches, since a 1-0 defeat against Lyon in the quarter-finals in March 2018
• Only one of Barcelona's last 58 Women’s Champions League matches has finished as a draw.
• Roma became the first visiting team to score at the Camp Nou in the Women's Champions League this season.

Line-ups

Barcelona: Paños; Bronze, Paredes, León (Fernàndez 73), Rolfö (Rábano 80); Bonmatí, Walsh (Syrstad Engen 66), Guijarro; Graham Hansen, Oshoala (Geyse 66), Paralluelo (Vilamala 66)

Roma: Ceasar; Bartoli (Di Guglielmo 55), Wenninger, Linari, Minami; Serturini, Giugliano, Losada (Greggi 46), Haavi (Glionna 54); Andressa Alves (Ciccotti 78), Giacinti (Kramžar 74)