Barcelona reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in four years with an entertaining victory over Napoli.
Barcelona won first at the Estadi de Montjuic thanks to the performances of Fermin López and Joao Cancelo, but the home team was forced to work hard as the Italian team pulled back one point with Amir Rahmani's goal.
The back-and-forth match was finally decided by Poland striker Robert Lewandowski's close-range finish with seven minutes remaining.
After a lively start, Barcelona delivered a strong one-two punch to Napoli, scoring two goals in three minutes.
First, 20-year-old midfielder López had a chance to make a positive impression on the big stage, scoring with his wide foot in the 15th minute after Lewandowski copied Rafinha's low cross.
Former Leeds winger Raphinha was also central to Barcelona's second goal, leading a counter-attack and curling a shot that hit the post before Manchester City loanee Cancelo scored from the rebound.
However, Barcelona lost momentum and Napoli pulled one back in the 30th minute when Kosova centre-back Rahmani ventured forward from a cutback from the right flank and past Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
Napoli pushed hard for an equalizer but missed their best chance with 10 minutes remaining when Jesper Lindström sent a free header wide from seven yards.
However, they fell short in the end, and Lewandowski, who was set up by some skillful play from Sergi Roberto, scored the goal, giving Barcelona their first win in five Champions League knockout matches.
Youth and experience come together at Barça
Xavi will step down at the end of this season, but Barcelona's manager is giving young talent a chance while also thinking about the club's future.
Among them is López, who spent last season on loan at third-tier side Linares, but has settled into Barça's first team this season. He started in the Clasico against Real Madrid in the autumn, making this his 30th first-team appearance for the 2023-24 season.
This was probably the most high-profile match of his career, and Lopez got off to a great start trying to grab the spotlight. He had already created a golden chance to cross Napoli's crossbar before scoring the opener.
However, the lack of big game opportunities was perhaps communicated as Napoli were allowed to control the tempo, despite Barça taking an early two-goal lead.
After Rahmani pulled one back, he tipped over captain Giovanni di Lorenzo's looping header, and it was only Ter Stegen's fingertips that stopped Napoli's equalizer before half-time.
With Napoli's pressure continuing in the second half, Xavi responded by introducing an experienced midfield pair of Roberto and Oriol Romeu, one of whom replaced López.
Meanwhile, Barcelona's youngest mainstay, Lamine Yamal, who became the youngest player to play in a Champions League knockout stage in the first leg, almost won the honor of being the youngest scorer, but he was caught at close range. The shot was ruled offside.
Thanks to level-headedness, experience and young talent, Barça managed to survive and bring a glimmer of hope to what has been a difficult campaign.
Osimhen resigns
The match featured two of Europe's greatest attackers, with Lewandowski and Napoli's Victor Osimhen sharing the same pitch again after scoring in a 1-1 draw in the first leg.
It was a frustrating night for Osimhen. Osimhen was a constant threat but was stopped by the offside flag on more than one occasion.
In the end, his and Napoli's challenge failed, the latest disappointing chapter in a poor season for the Italian champions.
Napoli are seventh in Serie A, 28 points behind the leaders, and Francesco Calzona has been appointed as their third manager this season.
lineup
Barcelona
formation 4-3-3
- 1ter stegen
- twenty threeKunde
- FourAraujo
- 33Kvarshi
- 2Cancelo
- 32lopezReplacementrobertoin 60 minutesminutes
- 15ChristensenI made a reservation for 19 minutes.ReplacementRomeuin 61 minutesminutes
- twenty twoGundogan
- 27YamalBooked in 44 minutes
- 9lewandowski
- 11RafinhaReplacementjoan felixin 81 minutesminutes
substitute
- Fivemartinez
- 13Peña Sotores
- 14joan felix
- 18Romeu
- 19Roque Ferreira
- 20roberto
- 26Astra Laga
- 30casado
- 35hernandez
- 38Giu
- 39fort
naples
formation 4-3-3
- 1Mereth
- twenty twoDi Lorenzo
- 13Larahmani
- FiveNunez JesusI made a reservation in 45 minutes.
- 6mario louieReplacementoliverain 64 minutesminutesBooked in 67 minutes
- 99Anguissa
- 68Robotka
- 8TraoreBooked in 63 minutesReplacementraspadoriin 78 minutesminutes
- twenty onePolitanoReplacementlindstromin 64 minutesminutes
- 9Osimhen
- 77KvaratskheriaReplacementNgongein 90+3'minutes
substitute
- 3Bernardo de Souza
- 14contini
- 17olivera
- 18Simeone
- twenty fourcasjuste
- 26Ngonge
- 29lindstrom
- 30Mazzocchi
- 55Ostigard
- 81raspadori
- 95Gollini
live text
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Game over, Barcelona 3, Napoli 1.
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The second half ends, Barcelona 3, Napoli 1.
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Attempt failed. Stanislav Lobotka (Napoli) fired a right-footed shot from outside the box that went high and to the right of the target. Assisted by Frank Anguissa.
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Attempt saved. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) took a left-footed shot from the right side of the box, but it was saved in the center of the goal. Assisted by Ilkay Gundogan.
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Substitution, Napoli. Cyril Gonge replaces Hviča Kuvaratskhelia.
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Attempt failed. Juvica Kvaratscheria (Napoli) took a right-footed shot from outside the box, but it went wide of the left side of the frame.
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Matias Olivera (Napoli) took a left-footed shot from the left side of the box that hit the bar. Kviča Kvaratskhelia served as his assistant.
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Stanislav Lobotka (Napoli) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Sergi Roberto (Barcelona).
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Corner of Barcelona. Victor Osimhen concedes a goal.
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Corner of Barcelona. Giovanni Di Lorenzo concedes a goal.
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Corner of Barcelona. Amir Rahmani conceded.
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Foul on Matias Olivera (Napoli).
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Lamine Yamal (Barcelona) wins a free kick on the right.
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goal! Barcelona 3, Napoli 1. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) took a left-footed shot from the center of the box into the bottom right corner of the box. Assisted by Sergi Roberto.
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Foul by Stanislav Lobotka (Napoli).
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Ilkay Gundogan (Barcelona) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Substitution, Barcelona. Rafinha was replaced by João Félix.
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Attempt failed. Jesper Lindström (Napoli) took a header from the center of the box, but it went just wide of the target. Matias Olivera assists the cross.
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Substitution, Napoli. Giacomo Raspadori replaces Hamed Traore.
player of match
KvaratskheriaHvitya Kvaratskheria
naples
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squad number77player nameKvaratskheria
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squad number9player nameOsimhen
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squad number8player nameTraore
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squad numbertwenty oneplayer namePolitano
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squad number68player nameRobotka
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squad numbertwenty twoplayer nameDi Lorenzo
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squad number13player nameLarahmani
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squad number99player nameAnguissa
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squad number17player nameolivera
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squad number29player namelindstrom
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squad numberFiveplayer nameJuan Jesus
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squad number1player nameMereth
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squad number81player nameraspadori
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squad number6player namemario louie
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squad number26player nameNgonge