Barcelona will face Roma in the quarter-finals of the Champions League
The first leg will be played at Camp Nou. Ernesto Valverde's men are the favorites, with Lionel Messi in top form and a nearly impeccable record in the competition. The Italian team has fewer chances of reaching the semi-finals.
That's why Francesco Totti's reaction to the news that Barcelona will be Roma's rival in the quarter-finals is completely understandable. The cameras quickly focused on the former Italian footballer.
"I read in Diario As that they preferred Roma over Juve, so I'm happy: we will show that this team can also compete against Barcelona. Everyone expects them to go through, but they will face a very competitive rival. I'm sure Barcelona is also worried about the match. We won a very difficult group with Chelsea and Atletico, who were the favorites. Our journey so far has been very positive," said Francesco Totti after the draw of the Champions League quarter-finals.
Monchi, now the sports director of Roma, acknowledged the superiority of their rival after the draw: "It's normal, Barcelona's history is bigger than Roma's, but we will fight to the fullest. While there is life, there is hope," he said.
Monchi will trust players like Bosnian Edin Dzeko (four goals in the competition), Belgian Radja Nainggolan, and Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson, who stand out above the rest along with veterans like Daniele De Rossi. He will not rely on the previous encounters between both clubs, which have been negative for Roma.