Barcelona beat Napoli 4-2 on aggregate to advance to the Champions League quarter-final, as Fermin Lopez, Joao Cancelo, and Robert Lewandowski all scored on target.
Champions League fixtures this week
- Champions League: Real Madrid reached the quarter-final
- Kylian Mbappe double seals quarter-final spot in Champions League
Amir Rrahmani netted in the first half for the visitors, but the goal was little more than a consolidation for the Serie A champions last season.
For the first time in years, Blaugrana has made the last eight; joining the La Liga giants is Arsenal, who beat Porto in the shootout.
Barcelona 3-1 Napoli (4-2 Agg) – Champions League highlights
Victor Osimhen’s leveler canceled Lewandowski’s fine goal in the first leg at Naples, making the return leg a tough match for both sides.
Xavi’s side came out hot, and the home side got the massive advantage after 15 minutes with Fermin Lopez’s opener.
Both sides had chances to score inside the opening minute in a fast-tempo clash on Spanish soil. Napoli’s talisman Osimhen raced through Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Still, a late offside flag was all it took to put on the disappointment for the visitor’s fans.
Fermin fired over the bar shortly before the young midfielder redeemed himself at the 15-minute. The Spanish youngster drilled into the bottom corner from Raphinha’s cut-back.
It was too fast for Napoli to catch their breath as Barca doubled the lead in no time. Brazilian winger Raphinha produced a fine move before his finish hit the post, but Cancelo showed up at the right time and the right place to tap the ball into the empty net.
Napoli did pull one back in the first half through Amir Rrahmani, but Robert Lewandowski’s late strike removed any doubt about the result.
The Barca stopper had to make an outstanding save to claw Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s header over the bar soon after, with the visitors growing into the game after an abysmal opening period. Still, the scoreline would not change before the half-time break.
Napoli’s energy continued after the break, but Barcelona thought they had netted against the run of play when Lamine Yamal tapped home after a corner. However, the offside flag was quickly and correctly raised to rule out the effort.
Jesper Lindstrom had an excellent chance to tie things up with a free header at the back post, but the Dane could only steer his effort wide of the post as the clock ticked over into the final ten minutes.
That profligacy would return to bite Napoli as Barcelona put the final nail in the coffin shortly after. Some excellent passing put Sergi Roberto in behind, and a routine cut-back for Lewandowski left the home fans in a frenzy as they danced their way into the last eight.
