Cinderella did not have her fairy tale. The Roma of the ex-Blaugrana Andressa Alves and Vicky Losada couldn't with an entire FC Barcelona, who had to settle for a victory by the minimum against a rookie. Jonatan Giráldez's team failed to close the match and, despite monopolizing the chances of the match, the fright that Giacinti and Giugliano were about to tie in an agonizing finale could not be avoided. He did not succeed and Barça will try to seal their pass to the semifinals at the Camp Nou in seven days.
Without a doubt, one of the great names of the day was that of the young Salma Paralluelo. The Aragonese debuted in the Champions League as a starter and more than fulfilled. Time and time again, she overflowed the defense of the Giallorrosse, unable to stop her speed on the left flank, and she also dared to face Caesar's goal with a confidence that is difficult to see in a footballer who, until a year ago, combined football with athletics. . A courage that took her to the front of the area a few minutes before the break, where she armed her leg and with a powerful cannon shot adjusted her shot to the millimeter, impossible for the goalkeeper of the Roman team, who could do nothing. And so, Salma Paralluelo signed her first goal in the Champions League 34 minutes after making her debut in Europe.
The goal from the Blaugrana forward was the only one that went up on the scoreboard in a first half in which Giráldez's team dominated and subdued their rival, but in which they also showed signs of unusual precipitation. Despite the fact that he dominated every minute of the game, leaving Roma with a poor 34% possession and forcing them to undergo a titanic physical wear and tear, the lack of tranquility that Aitana Bonmatí, at various times, asked for from the midfield, prevented her from the blaugrana could sentence the game earlier.
He came out more leisurely in the second half, enjoying the eternal possessions that characterize this team. Paralluelo was close to registering an assist to complete his magnificent game if it weren't for Oshoala failing the inexplicable against Caesar. The Nigerian lived one of her most frustrating nights seeing how the ball did not quite go in no matter how many times she tried.
After the hour of play, Giacinti had the equalizer in his boots in an action that Mapi León providentially saved, putting his foot in just enough to cause the ball to go over the crossbar. Spugna took the opportunity to introduce the former Barcelona captain, Vicky Losada, who played the last half hour of the game. The changes of the Romanista coach refreshed the team and allowed Roma to stay in the game. With five minutes to go before the final whistle, Giugliano was about to surprise with a powerful outside shot, but Sandra Paños dressed as a hero to save Barcelona. The Giallorrosse fans could not celebrate, but they did vibrate with a historic night at an Olympic Games in Rome that broke the attendance record for a women's soccer match in Italy with 39,454 spectators.
