De Rossi hails coach as Roma stun Barcelona

Italian club qualify for Champions League semifinals on away goal rule

ROME, ITALY: AS Roma captain Daniele de Rossi heaped praise on coach Eusebio Di Francesco for masterminding an incredible 3-0 win over Barcelona on Tuesday which took the Italians into the European Cup semi-finals for the first time in 34 years.

Di Francesco abandoned the 4-5-1 shape he used in the 4-1 first-leg defeat by Barca at the Nou Camp, instead engineering a 3-5-2 formation which saw his side overwhelm the Liga leaders with relentless high pressing and long balls behind the defence.

"We had a long way to go after the first-leg but all credit to the coach because he invented this formation two days ago, he drilled it into our heads and it worked wonders," midfielder De Rossi told reporters after Roma went through on away goals.

De Rossi hammered in the second goal of the night from the penalty spot after Edin Dzeko had got the hosts off to the perfect start by opening the scoring after six minutes at an electric Olympic Stadium.

Greek defender Kostas Manolas headed home the crucial third goal from a corner with eight minutes remaining, joining De Rossi in making up for scoring in his own net in the first leg of the quarter-final tie.

Never see Barcelona struggle so much: Dzeko

Striker Dzeko also waxed lyrical about his side's tactics and said he played with more freedom alongside Patrik Schick in attack, with Radja Nainggolan, who missed the first leg with injury, behind them.

"I have never seen Barcelona struggle so much, we pressed them throughout the game from the first minute,” said Dzeko. "It was easier for me to play when Schick and Radja were closer to me, it created more space and stretched their defence. It was (also) the first time we played with three at the back and we did great."

I will take credit for win: Francesco

Manager Di Francesco said the aim of the change in formation was to make his side more dangerous down the flanks and also praised his players for their near-perfect display.

"I made this choice to give us more width, allow us to have more counter-attacks and bring us more pace but what really changed was the philosophy of the side," he said. “I take the blame for defeats and some ungrateful words on social media, so I may as well take the credit for a win."

No-one expected this result, says Iniesta

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta was struggling to accept his side's shock 3-0 defeat at AS Roma which knocked them out of the Champions League on away goals on Tuesday, while Sergio Busquets called the elimination the worst moment of his career.

"It's painful because no one expected this after the advantage we had but you realise what the reality of the Champions League is like when you do things badly," a visibly distraught Iniesta told reporters. “It's difficult to accept this elimination because we had a lot of hope for this season and once again it (the Champions League) has escaped us. It's a very big disappointment after the great season we have had. Right now we feel awful."

Busquets was even more scathing than Iniesta in his criticism of the performance. "It's a very tough night, a sad night and one to forget, we need to apologise to the fans for how we have fallen," the midfielder said. "This is the toughest blow I've received in the whole time I've been at Barca because of how it happened."