Barcelona secured their place in the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in four years with a thrilling 3-1 home victory over Napoli in the last-16 second leg on March 12. The Spanish giants progressed with a 4-2 aggregate scoreline after a hard-fought encounter at the Montjuic Stadium.
Match Summary
Barcelona started the match brightly and took the lead in the 15th minute. Joao Cancelo played in Raphinha down the left wing, and the Brazilian cut inside before pulling the ball back for Fermin Lopez to slot home from close range.
Barcelona doubled their advantage just seven minutes later. Lamine Yamal’s cross-field pass found Raphinha, who cut inside and curled a shot against the post. Cancelo was on hand to drive the rebound into the net.
Napoli pulled a goal back on the half-hour mark through Amir Rrahmani, who finished off a move started by Matteo Politano. However, Barcelona restored their two-goal lead in the 65th minute when Robert Lewandowski converted a pass from Ilkay Gundogan.
Historical Context
Napoli had never beaten Barcelona in their previous five meetings, and this result marked a repeat of their 2020 Champions League encounter, which Barcelona also won 3-1 at home after a 1-1 draw in Naples. Barcelona’s last knockout stage victory in the Champions League came in 2020 when they also reached the quarter-finals.
Coach Quotes
Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez expressed his delight with the qualification, saying: Very happy, Barcelona are in the top eight in Europe. It was a well-deserved qualification for Barcelona, who dominated the game in both attack and defense. Napoli also played well, but Barcelona was ultimately the better team on the night.
Napoli manager Francesco Calzona was disappointed with the result, saying: There is disappointment, because we came here to try to win and we didn’t succeed. We started the game very poorly, and against a team like Barcelona, you can’t afford to give them that much space.
Match Details
Barcelona pressed high from the start, giving Napoli little time to settle. The visitors struggled to create chances, with striker Victor Osimhen frequently caught offside.
Barcelona’s opening goal came after a flowing move down the left flank. Cancelo’s second goal was a result of excellent teamwork and quick thinking. Napoli’s equalizer came against the run of play, but Barcelona responded well and regained control of the match.
Lewandowski’s goal effectively sealed the victory for Barcelona. Napoli had a chance to level in the closing stages, but Jesper Lindstrom headed wide.
Napoli Missed Opportunity
Napoli had a golden opportunity to level the tie in the second half when Lindstrom found himself unmarked in front of goal. However, the Danish forward headed wide, and Barcelona held on to secure the victory.
Conclusion
Barcelona’s victory was a deserved one. They dominated the match from start to finish and created the better chances. Napoli will be disappointed to have exited the competition, but they can take heart from their performance in the second half.
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