Ernesto Valverde: 'Fans need to back Barcelona'

Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde has called for the club's fans to back his players in their Champions League tie with Roma on Wednesday evening.

The Spanish outfit host their Italian counterparts in the first leg of their quarter-final tie at Camp Nou after defeating Chelsea in the last round of the competition.

Speaking to reporters in a pre-match press conference, Valverde said that the Catalan side must play to their best to beat the Serie A outfit.

"I really hope the Camp Nou fans turn out in huge numbers to back us against Roma and roar us on like they did against Chelsea," the manager said.

"Being favourites doesn't mean anything as far as I'm concerned. It's not the reality of the game. Everything's up for grabs. We'll have to play extraordinarily to beat them."

Lionel Messi was the architect of Barcelona's progression to the last eight, scoring twice in Spain while setting up his side's third goal.