By Anna Italia
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25% Ball Possession AS ROMA and 75% Ball Possession BARCELONA
AS Roma 1 – 1 Barcelona 
31′ Alessandro Florenzi 21′ Luis Suarez
The Roman gladiators making a comeback being down by a goal to end the game with a draw. It’s an emotional game for Barcelona coach Luis Enrique as he is facing now his ex team at the Olimpico Stadium for the UEFA Champions League Group Stage, Matchday 1 game, AS Roma vs Barcelona on Wednesday 16 September 2015. Luis Enrique coached Roma in the 2011-212 Season ending in the 7th place. Barcelona have won only once of their last six games in Italy.
Things starting bad for Roma! It is Barcelona to open the score in the 21st minute with forward Luis Suarez defeating AS Roma goalkeeper Szczęsny in the top left corner. The assist is by midfielder Ivan Rakitic.
Wohoooo The Roman gladiators equalizing !!!! In the 31st minute there it is midfielder Alessandro Florenzi defeating Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen with a right footed shot super goal from the distance.. yep… a mega goal from about 40 yards all the way to the top left corner!!!! ROMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
What a luck! A forced substitution in the 50th minute! A crash between Barcelona forward Luis Suarez and Roma goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny who cannot continue. Replacing Szczesny is goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis. Closeup showing De Sanctis rushing to dress up without enough time to even warm up.
Highlight in this match is the awaited goal by AS Roma Captain Francesco Totti as it will marked his 300th goal in all competitions. Sadly, Totti did not play and was listed only among the subs.
Previous meetings Luis Enrique vs Francesco Totti
• Luis Enrique was with Barcelona while Francesco Totti was AS Roma Captain when the clubs met in the 2001/02 UEFA Champions League second group stage, starting with a 1-1 draw at the Camp Nou goals by Kluivert (B.) and Christian Panucci (R). Roma won the return game 3-0 with the goals by Emerson, Vincenzo Montella and Damiano Tomassi. However, Barcelona still won the group while Roma were eliminated in third place.
Here is BARCELONA official starting lineup by coach Luis Enrique:
AS ROMA (4-3-3): Szczęsny; Florenzi, Manolas, Rüdiger, Digne; Nainggolan, De Rossi, Keita; Falque, Džeko, Salah.
Here is AS ROMA official starting lineup by coach Rudi Garcia:
BARCELONA (4-3-3): ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Piqué, Mathieu, Jordi Alba; Rakitić, Busquets, Iniesta; Messi, Suárez, Neymar.
Photo: asroma.it
AS Roma staring XI lineup against Barcelona
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Stats. Here are the last 3 games of AS ROMA: 2 wins, 1 draw
| 12/09/15 | SA | Frosinone – Roma | 0:2 | Round 3 | |||
| 30/08/15 | SA | Roma – Juventus | 2:1 | Round 2 | |||
| 22/08/15 | SA | Verona – Roma | 1:1 | Round 1 |
Here are the last 3 games of BARCELONA: 3 wins
| 12/09/15 | PD | At. Madrid – Barcelona | 1:2 | Round 3 | |||
| 29/08/15 | PD | Barcelona – Malaga | 1:0 | Round 2 | |||
| 23/08/15 | PD | At. Bilbao – Barcelona | 0:1 | Roud 1 |
Photos of the match AS Roma vs Barcelona courtesy of asroma.it
Barcelona defender Jordi Alba and Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi
Daniele De Rossi congratulating Alessandro Florenzi after equalizing the score against Barcelona
UEFA Champions League Round Group Stage, Matchday 1
AS Roma 1 – 1 Barcelona
Wednesday 16 September 2015
Olimpico di Roma Stadium
Rome, Italy
20:45
| Referee | Björn Kuipers (NED) |
| Assistant referee | Sander van Roekel (NED) , Erwin Zeinstra (NED) |
| Additional assistant referee | Pol van Boekel (NED) , Richard Liesveld (NED) |
| Fourth official | Charles Schaap (NED) |
| UEFA Delegate | Adrian Titcombe (ENG) |
| UEFA Referee observer | Mike Riley (ENG) |
Goals: 21′ Luis Suarez (B.) 31′ Alessandro Florenzi (R)
Official formations – lineups:
AS ROMA (4-3-3): Szczęsny; Florenzi, Manolas, Rüdiger, Digne; Nainggolan, De Rossi, Keita; Falque, Džeko, Salah.
Subs: De Sanctis, Maicon, Torosidis, Vainqueur, Totti, Gervinho.
Coach: Rudi García.
BARCELONA (4-3-3): ter Stegen; Sergi Roberto, Piqué, Mathieu, Jordi Alba; Rakitić, Busquets, Iniesta; Messi, Suárez, Neymar.
Subs: Masip, Mascherano, Bartra, Adriano, Rafinha, El Haddadi, Ramírez.
Coach: Luis Enrique.
Match Stats
| AS Roma | Match Stats | Barcelona |
| 1 | Goals | 1 |
| 8 (3) | Shots (on goal) | 16 (3) |
| 11 | Fouls | 5 |
| 1 | Corner kicks | 7 |
| 3 | Offsides | 3 |
| 25% | Ball Possession | 75% |
| 1 | Yellow Cards | 1 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 2 | Saves | 2 |
Andrea Barzagli, Buffon, Dybala and Bonucci celebrating
