How Roma outsmarted Barcelona to reach Champions League semi-final

Roma pulled off an extraordinary comeback with a 3-0 win over Barcelona on Tuesday to reach the Champions League semi-finals, after overturning a three-goal deficit from the first leg.

The Giallorossi advanced on away goals despite losing 4-1 in the first leg of the quarterfinals.

Centre back Kostas Manolas scored the decisive goal with a header from a corner in the 82nd minute amid a deafening atmosphere inside the Stadio Olimpico.

Roma had begun the comeback early when Edin Dzeko controlled an over-the-top pass between two defenders and poked in after six minutes for his sixth goal in this season’s competition.

Then near the hour mark, Dzeko earned a penalty that Daniele De Rossi converted.

Barcelona strikers Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez hardly threatened as Roma dominated possession for long stretches and stifled the Catalan club with high pressure.

It is the third successive time the Catalan club has exited Europe’s elite club competition at this stage.