Roma miss chance to pull off great upset against Madrid

ROME — Roma were left with the uncomfortable feeling on Wednesday that they had missed a golden chance to pull off one of the great Champions League upsets against Real Madrid.

Roma, trailing 2-0 from the first leg of their round of 16 tie at home, created enough chances at the Bernabeu to have wiped out the deficit before the hour.

Instead, forwards Edin Dzeko and Mohamed Salah repeatedly misfired and two quick goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez completed a 4-0 aggregate win for the hosts.

Dzeko, in particular, has had an unhappy time at Roma, scoring only eight goals since joining them on a season-long loan from Manchester City in July.

“There are some matches that go down in footballing history forever and give you a shortcut to success, but you have to try to make them happen,” said coach Luciano Spalletti, appearing to appreciate the size of the opportunity which had gone begging.

“The regret is there when you don’t play these matches with conviction and belief — that’s what we were lacking over this tie with Real.”

Spalletti, whose side have won their last seven Serie A matches, did not want to hear suggestions that Roma had restored some respectability after avoiding a repeat of the 6-1 defeat to Barcelona in a group match.

That result began the chain of events which led to Rudi Garcia being fired in January, and paving the way for Spalletti to return for a second stint at the club.

Despite reaching the round of 16, Roma managed just one win in their eight-match European campaign, and failed to score in their last three outings.

“When I go into the dressing room after a 2-0 defeat and see the players feeling satisfied because they’re going to be congratulated on their performance, that doesn’t sit right with me,” said the shaven-headed coach.

“We should be angry — maybe we’ve not yet realised what a big chance we’ve thrown away over the course of this tie.”

Spalletti pointed out that Real’s football was far from irresistible.

“I could congratulate my players on their performance, but that would be living a fairytale and not facing up to reality,” he added.

“We’re Roma but we have to play like Roma — we should come to these grounds to show people who we are. We need to improve quickly because it’s not OK. We must do better.”

In Tuesday’s other match, a second-half goal from Andre Schuerrle helped VfL Wolfsburg beat Gent 1-0 to reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time with a 4-2 aggregate victory.

Schuerrle, making a rare start, fired the ball in from a Julian Draxler cut-back in the 76th minute to give Wolves their second straight win over the Belgians.

Both teams were making their debuts in the knockout stages and Wolfsburg’s three goals in the first leg gave Dieter Hecking’s team a big advantage going into the return match.

Gent tried hard to unsettle the hosts but the German side were resolute in defence and superior all round.

Wolfsburg, who have won their last four Champions League matches and their last two games in the Bundesliga, tried to get an early goal with 2014 World Cup winner Schuerrle going desperately close in the opening minutes.

Max Kruse also did well to control a Schuerrle cross before turning and firing narrowly wide as the home team remained in the driving seat.

Gent keeper Matz Sels then parried a right-foot missile from Joshua Guilavogui in the 18th minute.

The visitors made a rare foray forward on the hour as Danijel Milicevic spurned their best chance when his diving header was off target.