Rome: Barcelona defender Gerard Pique led the tributes to the “crazy” goal scored by Alessandro Florenzi that earned Roma a point from the sides’ 1-1 Champions League draw on Wednesday.
“It was crazy!” Pique wrote on Twitter in a reply to a fan who had asked the Spanish defender’s reaction to Florenzi’s long-distance strike that caught Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen off guard.
“When I saw the goal, I didn’t believe it! One of the best goals I’ve received in my career.”
On what was Lionel Messi’s 100th Champions League appearance, the Argentinian had been hoping to close the gap on rival Cristiano Ronaldo’s new record tally for goals in the competition.
Both had been tied on 77 but a hat-trick by the Real Madrid striker in a 4-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday saw him pull three goals clear of Messi.
Messi was a class act throughout at the Stadio Olimpico, where Roma were forced to defend for most of the night.
Upstaged
But the Barcelona star was upstaged by Florenzi’s strike, which sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport calculated at a distance of 55.49 metres.
After collecting the ball in his own half, Florenzi carried it over the halfway line near the right touchline, looked up and, when he saw the Barcelona goalkeeper 15 metres out of his goal, launched a drive that went over Ter Stegen and in off his far post.
The 24-year-old Florenzi admitted to stunning himself.
“It was a great goal, you could see that by the reaction on my face after it went in,” he said, admitting he decided to take a pot shot after realising he had no other choices.
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique, meanwhile, said he was partly to blame and claimed Florenzi had been lucky.
“He (Florenzi) is a good player, but he was a little lucky,” said Luis Enrique.
“He took a chance and scored a great goal. Hats off to him, but it was partly my fault because we tell our goalkeepers to play like that. But that will be the last goal like that we concede.”
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