Suarez’s goal was impressive, but the story of today’s match was no doubt Florenzi’s jaw-dropping strike from near midfield. Thanks for following along and be sure to check back for a match report later.
Full-time: Barcelona 1-1 Roma
And that’s it! Barcelona fails to crack the code and both teams come out of their Champions League opener with a point.
90 min+5: A desperately close chance by Messi just there and Barca will have another corner with 45 seconds remaining. The ball is played outside the area where a waiting Sergi Roberto steps forward to take a shot, but it’s De Sanctis who makes the save. That should be that.
90 min+3: Corner awarded to Barcelona, Neymar to take it but he plays it short. Header by Pique misses the mark but it will be another corner for Barca.
90 min: Suarez hacked down by Torosidis. Mascherano to take the free kick, but a hand ball by Suarez returns possession to the hosts. Fourth official signals for five minutes of stoppage time.
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89 min: Roma have taken possession and appear to be organizing for one final push for a winner.
86 min: Now a quick counterattack by Roma which ends with an underwhelming shot from outside the area by Džeko.
85 min: Torosidis in for the goal-scorer Florenzi, Roma’s third and final sub of the match.
83 min: Neymar wins a free kick on a clattering challenge by Keita. De Rossi blocks a shot by Messi off the subsequent set piece.
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81 min: Iturbe enters for Falqué. Barca continues to dominate possession, though Roma have had their chances.
79 min: Iniesta makes a mazy run to within point-blank range of the goal, but his shot is blocked out of play by the keeper and it will be a Barcelona goal kick.
77 min: Neymar turns at the top of the area and fires a shot that caroms off Manolas out of a play. Corner to Barcelona. Ball falls to Messi, who uncorks a shot the hits the woodwork! How close Barcelona came to re-taking the lead there!
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75 min: Džeko wins a free kick on a foul by Pique, who is shown yellow. Moments later a Florenzi shot sails high over the crossbar.
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72 min: Messi mistimes a run by Alba and the ball rolls out of play for a Roma goal kick.
70 min: Digne is flagged offside for Roma. Pique steps up to take the kick.
68 min: Roma enjoying their best run of play of the match at the moment. Nainggolan ripped down in the area by Mascherano but the penalty is not given.
66 min: Suarez whistled for a foul on Keita as they jockey for possession in the area, returning possession to Roma.
65 min: Mascherano on for Rafinha, Barca’s second substitution.
62 min: A vicious tackle of Rafinha from behind by Nainggolan, who is shown yellow. Frankly, it could have been a straight red. Medical staff on the pitch to retrieve Rafina, who is being stretchered off.
59 min: Poor giveaway by Rüdiger, but Barca can’t immediately capitalize. And now comes the first substitution of the match as Rafinha enters for Rakitić.
57 min: The teams are trading possession near midfield as the pace seems to have slowed (relatively). Looks like Rafinha will be coming on for Rakitić.
55 min: Rakitić wins a corner for Barca, but it’s taken short and harmlessly cleared. Now a sartorial note from reader Peter Oh, via email:
It’s strange, seeing Barcelona play in sky blue kits. It’s almost as if they’re inviting opposing CL fans to chant “Are you Man City in disguise?!”
53 min: Suarez flagged for offsides. Moments later, Neymar runs nearly 20 yards with the ball for firing a shot on goal that’s saved. No goal, but a corner for Barca.
50 min: First appearance of the season for the 38-year-old back-up keeper and it looks as if he’ll be tested sooner rather than later with Barcelona keeping possession in the final third.
48 min: Morgan De Sanctis on for the injured keeper Szczęsny, Roma’s first substitution of the match.
46 min: And we’re off in the second half ... and it doesn’t take long for Barcelona to spur the attack. Alba plays a ball forward to Suarez, who can’t put it on goal before Szczęsny. But Szczęsny is injured on the play and will leave the match.
While we wait for the second half, here’s a look at the last Champions League meeting between these sides: a 3-0 victory for Roma in the second group stage. Incredibly, Roma’s Francesco Totti – who is on the bench today – was on the pitch that night at the Stadio Olimpico. As was current Barcelona coach Luis Enrique, then a midfielder for the Spanish side.
Half-time: Barcelona 1-1 Roma
Barcelona took the lead early on a well played header from Suarez, by Florenzi equalized for Roma on an unforgettable goal by Florenzi. It’s been Barca who have dominated possession – 72% to 28% – but the score is knotted at one apiece as the second half looms.
45 min+1: Fourth official has signaled for one minute of stoppage time. And just before the end of half Roma win a free kick, the first set piece Barcelona has had to contend with tonight. Yet Florenzi’s attempt hits the first defender and it proves the last kick of the half.
45 min: More from Roma here near the end of the half as a ball is played to Saleh, who outruns his defenders but can put the shot on target.
43 min: The best sustained attack of the game from Roma results in a well struck right-footed Nainggolan from outside the area that’s turned away by Ter Stegen.
40 min: A ball is played forward to Salah but it’s overcooked by the Roma midfielder and is easily corralled by Ter Stegen.
37 min: Barcelona keeping possession in a patient build-up before the ball is played forward to Messi, who darts into the area and pirouettes with the ball around a pair of defenders before uncorking a shot that’s deflected away by Szczęsny. An incredible run and an incredible hair-trigger save.
35 min: Messi’s free kick soars far over the crossbar and Roma will have a goal kick.
34 min: Barcelona on the attack again and they’ve won a free kick in a dangerous spot as Nainggolan takes a hack at Messi.
GOAL! Barcelona 1-1 Roma (Florenzi, 31 min)
And out of absolutely nowhere Florenzi sees Ter Stegen cheating off his line and fires a long-distance chip from the halfway line over the keeper’s head ... and it caroms off the crossbar across the line for an equalizer. One of the greatest goals you’ll ever see. It’s the first goal Florenzi has ever scored in European competition – and what a goal it was. Just marvelous. Roma’s first shot of the game and they’re level with the European champions.
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29 min: Barcelona keeping possession in the final third, one short pass after another, looking poised to strike. Yet no attempt on goal comes of it before they’re dispossessed.
26 min: Barcelona win a corner, their first of the match. Taken by Messi but harmlessly cleared to midfield.
24 min: Suarez played into the area and he’s taken down by the keeper Szczęsny. Appeals from all over for a penalty but it’s not given.
GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 Roma (Suarez, 20 min)
Sustained pressure from Barcelona pays off as they win a free kick 30 yards from the area, play it back, then a long ball to Rakitić in space right of the goal. The Croat flicks it to the far post, where Suarez heads it into the goal. A beautiful sequence and Barcelona are ahead.
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17 min: Messi slips a pass to Neymar who returns to Messi, but his attempt on goal caroms off De Rossi.
12 min: Great interplay here by Barcelona, who work the ball into Messi – making his 100th appearance in the Champions League tonight – but his shot sails over the crossbar.
10 min: Alba crosses into Suarez, whose header goes wide.
7 min: Roma’s Salah keys a counter-attack after an errant pass by Iniesta but Alba is quick to bail the midfielder out.
5 min: Apologies for the technical difficulties but we’re underway from Stadio Olimpico. Barcelona in all-blue kits attacking from left to right, Roma in traditional home strips.
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Here’s a look at the teams for tonight’s group stage match.
Roma: Szczęsny; Florenzi, Rüdiger, Manolas, Digne; Nainggolan, De Rossi, Keita; Falqué, Džeko, Salah.
Subs: De Sanctis, Maicon, Torosidis, Iturbe, Vainqueur, Totti, Gervinho
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Piqué, Mathieu, Alba; Rakitić, Busquets, Iniesta; Suárez, Messi, Neymar.
Subs: De Sanctis, Maicon, Torosidis, Iturbe, Vainqueur, Totti, Gervinho
Referee: Björn Kuipers (Netherlands)
Hello and welcome to today’s Champions League group stage match between Barcelona and Roma at Stadio Olimpico. The reigning European champions looks to open their title defense on the winning foot against a Roma side that crashed out of last year’s competition thanks in no small part to a devastating 7-1 defeat to Bayern Munich. While we wait for the teams to take the pitch for tonight’s Group E clash in the Italian capital, here’s a look at yesterday’s press conference with Barcelona manager Luis Enrique and full-back Jordi Alba.
Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime check out Martin Laurence preview of today’s match from Stadio Olimpico.
Barcelona make the trip to Serie A runners-up Roma on Wednesday. The holders are aiming to become the first team to retain the Champions League since its inception 23 years ago, with both Lionel Messi and Neymar hoping to finish on top of the scoring charts once more. They scored 10 goals each in the tournament last season – along with Cristiano Ronaldo – and the Brazilian will be aiming to score in his sixth successive game in the Champions League.
Luis Enrique’s risky tactic of resting Messi against Atlético Madrid just about paid off at the weekend, although the Argentinian was required to change the game in the second half. In a 31-minute cameo he completed an astonishing eight dribbles – five more than any other player on the pitch – and scored the winner as Barcelona came from behind to pick up a crucial win against their La Liga title rivals. It was enough to earn him our man of the match award with a rating of 8.51. He looked back to his best after what had been a subdued start to the season for both player and club.
Roma, meanwhile, will be cursing their luck after another tough group draw, having faced Bayern Munich and Manchester City last season. They will be looking to avoid the sort of result that really derailed their season, following a humiliating 7-1 home defeat to Bayern Munich last year, so Rudi García should be more cautious this time around. With the pace of Mo Salah and Gervinho on the flanks, and Edin Dzeko a strong target up front, they are well suited to the counterattack and should play as such despite being the home side.
