Barcelona crushed Roma with two goals from Fridolina Rolfo to go to the Women’s Champions League semi-finals.
In front of 54,667 ecstatic spectators at the Nou Camp, Rolfo scored both of Maria Leon’s goals.
Asisat Oshoala and Patricia Guijarro scored goals to put the Catalan team far beyond Roma’s reach before Annamaria Serturini’s low shot offered Roma a consolation.
In the semi-finals, Barcelona will either play Chelsea or the reigning champions Lyon.
Rolfo, a forward from Sweden, calmly slid the opening goal into the bottom right corner after latching onto a loose ball that Roma had failed to properly clear. Rolfo had just scored the only goal in Barcelona’s league victory over Real Madrid on Saturday.
When Leon’s rocket from 25 yards out had given the home team the lead, Lioness Keira Walsh set it up for her to knock in Caroline Graham Hansen’s low driving cross.
Only one minute into the second half, Oshoala scored Barca’s fourth goal by tapping in Aitana Bonmati’s cross, and Guijarro’s header from a corner secured Barca’s place in the semifinals.
With Walsh controlling play in the middle of the field and fellow Lioness Lucy Bronze blocking Roma’s attempts to score on the break, Barcelona, buoyed by a fervent crowd in Spain, exuded class.
First-time Champions League participants Roma struggled to create meaningful opportunities in Spain and were unable to handle Barcelona’s aggressive style after only giving up one goal in their defeat in Italy during the first leg.
One of their few bright spots was Serturini’s potent shot, and in the dying seconds, Camelia Ceasar’s brilliant save prevented Geyse Ferreira from scoring a sixth.
Barcelona has advanced to the semifinals of the Champions League five times in a row, making it to the final three times, and won the competition once.
Chelsea, led by Emma Hayes, are ahead of Lyon, the eight-time champions, who defeated Barcelona in the final last season, 1-0 on aggregate, and might go to the semi-final on Thursday at Stamford Bridge.
