dpThe fixtures are coming thick and fast for Barça. On Wednesday, Pere Romeu’s side head to the Stadio delle Tre Fontane to face AS Roma (6.45pm CEST) on Matchday 2 of the opening phase of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
It is Barça’s first European trip of the season and another opportunity to build momentum after a perfect start to the campaign. It also comes at an encouraging moment for a squad that has been stretched by absences in the opening weeks, with Romeu finally beginning to welcome players back.
Van Asten has been given the medical all-clear, while Aïcha, Carla Julià, Noa Jiménez and Rosalia are back after winning the U20 World Cup. Julia Torres, the other Barça player returning from the tournament, has not been included in the squad for Rome.
Their return gives Romeu considerably more options after a demanding September in which injuries and international commitments forced him to reshuffle his side and place considerable responsibility on some of the club’s younger players.
One of the standout youngsters has been Mayssa Baha, although the goalscorer will have to wait a little longer for her European debut. She is not eligible to play in the Champions League until January, when she turns 16.
Back to familiar territory
Barça know both Wednesday’s opponents and the venue well. They also visited Roma last season and eventually ran out 4-0 winners, although the final score did not tell the whole story of what was a demanding European away game.
Much has changed since then. Roma appointed a new coach in the summer, while Barça are themselves still looking to reach top gear after a disrupted start to the season. Even so, the results have continued to come, and another victory in Italy would maintain that momentum as the Champions League campaign gathers pace.
The squad travelled to the Italian capital in confident mood, accompanied by directors Xavi Puig, Àngel Riudalbàs, Xavier Barniol and Jaume Santiveri.
And there will be little time to recover afterwards. Wednesday’s European assignment forms part of a hugely demanding week that culminates on Sunday with El Clásico at Spotify Camp Nou.
Pere Romeu: “Roma are an aggressive side”
Speaking on the eve of the game, Romeu warned that last season’s emphatic scoreline should not disguise the difficulty Barça encountered in Rome.
“Last year’s game was tough, it was difficult. This is the Champions League and playing away from home is never easy, whoever you are facing. Roma are an aggressive side and difficult to play against. We’ll see whether they approach the game in the same way against us, because teams often change.”
Carla Julià: “Happy to be back and ready to help”
Fresh from winning the U20 World Cup, Carla Julià joined Romeu in speaking to the media ahead of the game. The young Barça player, who now has a first-team registration, is delighted to be back with the squad after her international success.
“I’m really happy to have won the title with the national team, but I’m also happy to be back and ready to help the team.”
“We kept a very close eye on the team’s games throughout the month. They kept getting the results, which was the most important thing. Now we’re back, players are returning from injury and we’ll keep growing with every game.”
After negotiating a difficult September without dropping their winning habit, Barça now head into the next phase of the season with a stronger squad and two major challenges in the space of five days. First stop: Rome.
