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Barcelona have been here before. Tuesday night's Champions League loss and European exit at Roma may have come as a huge shock, but it is also the latest in a series of disappointments for the Catalan club in the continental competition in recent seasons.
 
Since winning the treble under Luis Enrique in 2014-15, Barca have been knocked out three times in a row at the quarter-final stage and this latest defeat opened up some old wounds for the Blaugrana.
 
Battered and beaten by a rampant Roma side at the Stadio Olimpico, Ernesto Valverde's team can have few complaints. Tuesday's 3-0 loss saw the two teams draw 4-4 on aggregate, with the Italians progressing on away goals.
 
Battered and beaten by a rampant Roma side at the Stadio Olimpico, Ernesto Valverde's team can have few complaints. Tuesday's 3-0 loss saw the two teams draw 4-4 on aggregate, with the Italians progressing on away goals.
 
Battered and beaten by a rampant Roma side at the Stadio Olimpico, Ernesto Valverde's team can have few complaints. Tuesday's 3-0 loss saw the two teams draw 4-4 on aggregate, with the Italians progressing on away goals.
 
But there can be little doubt that, over the two legs, the better side went through. So after a season in which Barca had gone unbeaten in La Liga and the Champions League up until Tuesday, what went wrong for the Catalan club? And how can they make sure something similar does not happen again in a year's time?
 
Back-up for Busquets and a better bench

If Sergio Busquets is missing or not right, Barcelona are never the same side. The Spain midfielder brings balance to the Blaugrana and adds defensive stability as well. And although he played 85 minutes in Rome, he did so with the aid of a reinforced boot following a troublesome toe injury.
 
Busquets is one player – along with Lionel Messi – for whom Barca do not really have a back-up and such reliance upon him can take its toll. The 29-year-old rarely rests and that may be why he picked up his recent injury in the first place.
 
In the summer transfer market, Barca need to identify a player who can cover for the Catalan. Sevilla's Steven N'Zonzi is an option the club have considered in the past and he is the kind of quality back-up who could share some of the load with the World Cup-winning midfielder.
 
Barca could also do with a stronger squad in general. Two of the players who came on in Rome, Paco Alcacer and Andre Gomes, are probably not of the required standard for the Blaugrana, while Paulinho has faded after a promising start to the season and was not even used by Valverde at the Stadio Olimpico. Better back-up options are required at this level.
 
Help for Messi

Messi did not have his best game on Tuesday night, but the Argentine attacker cannot do everything by himself. He has lifted this team above mediocrity on so many occasions, dragging Barca to the brink of the title and to the final of the Copa del Rey. But in Europe, it is not enough.
 
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