3/13/2024–|Last updated: 3/13/202402:26 AM (Mecca time)
Barcelona reached the quarter-finals in the Champions League for the first time since the 2019-2020 season after defeating its guest Napoli 3-1 on Tuesday at the Olympic Stadium in Montjuïc in the second leg of the 16th final after a 1-1 draw in the first leg.
The Catalan team was able to achieve its first victory in the knockout rounds after 4 matches, of which it tied two and lost the same, for the first time also since its victory over Napoli 3-1 in the second leg of the 16-final in the 2019-2020 season.
Fermin Lopez (15), Portuguese Joao Cancelo (17), Polish Robert Lewandowski (83) scored for Barcelona, and Kosovar Amir Rahmani (30) scored for Napoli.
Barcelona started the match with the two promising youngsters, Al-Amin Djamal (16 years old) and Pau Cobarci (17 years old), becoming the first team to start a match with two players under the age of 17 in a Champions League elimination match, according to Opta statistics.
Summary of the Barcelona vs. Napoli match
Lopez opened the scoring easily after receiving a pass from Brazilian Rafinha on the left side (15).
Fermin Lopez opens the scoring for Barcelona 🔥⚽️#Champions League | #Barcelona_Napoli pic.twitter.com/oNCyO3SfVw
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) March 12, 2024
Cancelo only neglected the visitors for two minutes to absorb the delay in the score, and he hit them with the second after following a shot from Rafinha that bounced off the left post after a pass he received from Jamal, who led a counterattack (17).
🔥⚽️ Cancelo doubles the score for Barcelona and increases Napoli’s troubles#Champions League | #Barcelona_Napoli #UCL | #beINUCL pic.twitter.com/TPjRGEZIsp
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) March 12, 2024
Napoli responded through Rahmani with a coordinated attack that reached Matteo Politano, who passed it on the right side to the first, shooting to the right of German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen (30).
🔥⚽️ Amir Rahmani reduces the difference for Napoli#Champions League | #Barcelona_Napoli #UCL | #beINUCL pic.twitter.com/RTkAE1yyiK
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) March 12, 2024
The Catalan team’s goalkeeper saved his own goal from a second goal after he brilliantly blocked a header from advanced right-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo (35).
The visitors entered the second half with rapid pressure, and Georgian Khvisha Kvaratskhelia tried to score with a shot on the outskirts of the area that passed next to the left post (47).
Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez tried to control the midfield, bringing in Sergi Roberto and Oriol Romeu (60th minute), while Napoli coach Francesco Calzona brought in Danish midfielder Jesper Lindstrom and Uruguayan left back Matías Oliveira (64th).
Goalkeeper Alex Merritt blocked a shot from a free kick taken by Rafinha and it went to a corner (67), which almost resulted in a goal through Al-Amin Gamal, but the referee did not count it as offside (68).
Rafinha tried again, but the goalkeeper blocked his shot on the left side (77), before Jamal tried in turn from the right with a beautiful shot that passed next to the right post (78).
Lindstrom missed the opportunity to equalize the score with a header close to the left post, which Ter Stegen merely observed (80).
🔥⚽️ A wonderful team game that resulted in a third goal for Barcelona#Champions League | #Barcelona_Napoli #UCL | #beINUCL pic.twitter.com/8XvCxvNrZl
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) March 12, 2024
Lewandowski decided Barcelona’s victory after an exchange of the ball between Roberto and German Ilkay Gundogan, and it reached Lewandowski from the substitute, who followed it into the goal (83).
Jamal searched for his first goal in the most prestigious European competition after a counterattack with a final shot that was blocked by the goalkeeper (90+2).
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