Roma Re-Write The Rules

Di Francesco’s side defied the odds against Barcelona.

- Paddy Agnew

In the white-hot heat of the extraordinary night on which they eliminated Lionel Messi and Barcelona in their quarter-final clash, there were several key men for Roma, but none more so than Eusebio Di Francesco. Much has been said of the coach’s attacking 3-4-1-2 line-up against Barca, but as much as anything it was the his ability to motivate the squad that made victory possible, convincing the players that a second-leg comeback was a serious possibility.

When asked if his side’s victory was also an important win for Italian football, Di Francesco replied: “It was an important win for us, and it doesn’t stop here. We’re on the road to Kiev – I believe in that just as I believed in this win.”

At the beginning of the season few could have imagined Roma making the final four of a competition in which their recent form has not been great. Knocked out in the pre-group qualifiers by Porto last season, comprehensively beaten 4-0 by Real Madrid in the second round the year before, and thrashed 7-1 at home by Bayern Munich three seasons ago.

With a new coach and a summer transfer campaign that was nothing to write home about, there were plenty of reasons to be sceptical.