Football

UCL Preview: Barcelona vs AS Roma

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Defender Jordi Alba says the "feelings" in the Barcelona squad are better than in their treble-winning 2014-15 season.

Barca are unbeaten in La Liga this season and nine points clear at the top of the table.

They are also in the Copa del Rey final and face Roma in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Nou Camp on Wednesday as they aim to win all three major trophies again.

"In these moments I have even better feelings," Alba said.

"This year we could repeat those achievements because not only are we on a good path, but in the three competitions we are performing consistently and at a great level."

Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 3-1 in the 2014-15 Copa del Rey final and beat Juventus 3-1 the following month to win the Champions League.

They became the first European team to twice win the domestic double and the Champions League in the same season, after achieving the feat in 2008-09.

"In the dressing room we aren't talking about the treble, but we know for our fans it is a great hope, and for us too, but there is a long way to go," said left-back Alba.

"We know that we have a great squad and if we are at our usual level we can beat anyone, but this is Roma, who finished first in their group with Atletico Madrid and Chelsea in.

"I'm sure they will give us trouble and we have to play with our fans behind us, which I'm sure will help us."

Roma are third in Serie A, having drawn 1-1 at mid-table Bologna on Saturday.

Manager Eusebio di Francesco said: "We know that if we play like that against Barcelona, it won't be enough.

"But we also know that Barca will attack. It will be a totally different match."

Team news

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi is fit again and expected to start after coming off the bench to rescue a point in a 2-2 draw with Sevilla on Saturday.

Manager Ernesto Valverde hopes to have midfielder Sergio Busquets fit after he returned to training.

Di Francesco has named Radja Nainggolan and Lorenzo Pellegrini among his travelling party despite injury doubts over both.

However, winger Cengiz Under misses out through injury.

Match facts

Barcelona's Sergi Roberto is a booking away from a ban

Barcelona are the only unbeaten team in this season's La Liga (W23 D7)

Since losing 3-1 at home to Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup on 13 August, Barcelona's home record is W20 D2. They have scored in all but one of their 23 home games this season - they drew 0-0 with Getafe on 11 February - and have managed 65 goals at the Nou Camp

Luis Suarez has seven goals in his last 10 matches for Barcelona and Uruguay

Roma's Diego Perotti and Kostas Manolas will incur a ban with their next bookings

Roma had won four games in a row in all competitions before Saturday's 1-1 at Bologna; they have six victories in their past eight Serie A fixtures

The Giallorossi have lost only one of their past eight away games in all competitions - at Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League last-16 first leg - and have won four of the past six matches

Eight of the 24 Serie A goals Roma have conceded this season have come in the final 15 minutes. 

Uefa Champions League commentary is live on Joy 99.7 FM courtesy Joy Sports. 

Follow on Twitter @JoysportsGH. The hashtag is #JoyUCL

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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.