Defending champions Barcelona visit the Stadio Tre Fontane to face AS Roma on Wednesday in the UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage, welcoming back several Under-20 World Cup winners and midfielder Aitana Bonmatí. Head coach Pere Romeu takes his squad to Rome aiming to build on a 5-2 opening victory over Paris FC, backed by a strong historical record against the Italian club.
Squad Boosts and Returning World Champions
Barcelona’s preparations for the trip to the Italian capital received a significant lift with the return of several key personnel. Pere Romeu welcomed back four players who recently helped Spain claim the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup title against North Korea: Aïcha Cámara, Carla Julià, Noa Jiménez, and Rosalía Domínguez. In addition, Van Asten rejoined the traveling party after recovering from a miofascial injury.
The midfielder earned minutes during the recent league victory over Logroño United and is fully available for European competition. However, the squad remains without Kika Nazareth and Vicky López, both of whom continue rehabilitation for respective injuries.
Historical Precedents and Recent Form
The Catalan side faced Roma during last season’s Champions League group stage, claiming a 4-0 victory at the venue. Across all recent head-to-head meetings, the Spanish champions have secured victories in the last three encounters.
Roma enters the fixture following a mixed start to their European campaign. The Giallorossi opened the group phase with a scoreless draw against OH Leuven in Belgium before responding domestically with a 3-1 win over Sassuolo. The Italian club aims to improve on a 14th-place finish in last season’s league phase standings.
Familiar Faces and Projected Lineups
Wednesday’s match features a direct link between the two clubs. During the summer transfer window, Barcelona signed young Italian prospect Giulia Galli from Roma’s academy for their reserve team. Galli made six appearances and scored one goal in the Champions League for the Italian side last season.
English referee Kirsty Dowle will officiate the match, which kicks off at 18:45 and is broadcast via Disney+. Projected lineups feature Cata Coll in goal for Barcelona behind a defense of Sydney, Paredes, Martina, and Brugts, with Serrajordi, Patri, and Pina anchoring the midfield alongside Graham, Pajor, and Kerolin. Roma is expected to counter with a starting XI led by goalkeeper Baldi, supported by defenders Oliviero, Ottey, Oladipo, and Thogersen, with Doms, Rieke, Greggi, and Giugliano in midfield, and Piemonte and Van Dooren leading the attack.
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