Roma Women continue their first Women's Champions League campaign with a difficult quarter-final tie against Barcelona Women.
The Italian side will have home advantage for the first leg, which will take place at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday in front of at least 35,000 supporters.
Match preview
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Roma Women collected 13 points from their six group games to finish in second place and one point behind German champions Wolfsburg.
Alessandro Spugna's charges know that they will have to be at their very best to trouble one of the best sides Europe has to offer, but Roma's promising domestic campaign suggests that they are capable of causing Barcelona a few problems.
Not only have they set up a Coppa Italia final against Juventus, but Roma are also on course to end the Turin club's five-year reign as Serie A champions.
They claimed their seventh consecutive league victory on Friday, hammering Fiorentina 5-1 to maintain their eight-point lead at the top of the table.
Including qualifying, Roma have won three and drawn one of their home Champions League games this season, which will provide them with a source of inspiration ahead of Tuesday's first leg.
Barcelona, meanwhile, went close to retaining the Champions League trophy that they won in 2021 after they reached their third European final in four years.
However, a 3-1 defeat to Lyon in last season's final denied Barcelona a second Champions League crown, and they will look to use that disappointment as motivation for their current European campaign.
Having won all of their 22 Liga F games this season, the Catalan giants are set to win their fourth consecutive league title, but they will be unable to defend their Copa de la Reina trophy after they were expelled from the competition for fielding an ineligible player.
Nevertheless, Jonathan Giraldez's side still have a chance to finish the season with three pieces of silverware, having already picked up the Spanish Super Cup.
After winning their last six competitive away games by a combined 20-0 scoreline, Barcelona will travel to Italy with an air of invincibility.
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Team News
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Roma will have to cope without the services of Sophie Roman Haug, who has been sidelined since January with an ankle injury.
Former Barcelona players Andressa Alves and Vicky Losada will feature in the matchday squad, although the latter may have to settle for a place on the bench.
Having scored 19 goals in 33 competitive appearances this term, Valentina Giacinti represents one of Roma's main goal threats.
As for the visitors, they are unable to call upon Alexia Putellas, Mariona Caldentey and Claudia Pina, who are ruled out with injury issues.
With the focus on Tuesday's Champions League encounter, a number of key players dropped to the bench for Friday's league win against Valencia, but the likes of Lucy Bronze, Mapi Leon, Patri Guijarro, Caroline Graham Hansen and Asisat Oshoala will all return to the starting lineup for the first leg.
After coming off the bench to score a brace in the 5-1 win over Valencia, Salma Paralluelo will also be brought into the side for the midweek trip to the Italian capital.
Roma Women possible starting lineup:
Caesar; Bartoli, Wenninger, Linari, Minami; Andressa, Greggi, Giugliano; Serturini, Haavi, Giacinti
Barcelona Women possible starting lineup:
Panos; Bronze, Paredes, Leon, Rolfo; Bonmati, Walsh, Guijarro; Graham Hansen, Paralluelo, Oshoala
We say: Roma Women 1-3 Barcelona Women
Roma have acquitted themselves well in their first Women's Champions League campaign, but we think that they may be given a reality check by a Barcelona side who have proven to be one of their most feared teams in Europe over the last few years.
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