Four years later, Barcelona is once more celebrating a triumph within the knockout stage of the Champions League.
Barcelona gamers rejoice their win on the finish of the UEFA Champions League final 16 second leg in opposition to SSC Napoli(AFP)
The five-time European champions returned to the quarterfinals with a 3-1 win over Napoli on Tuesday.
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Fermín López, João Cancelo and Robert Lewandowski scored for Barcelona because it superior 4-2 on mixture after a 1-1 draw within the first leg in Italy three weeks in the past.
Amir Rrahmani scored for Napoli, which could not repeat its last-eight look from final season, when it gained a knockout spherical for the primary time.
Barcelona had been eradicated within the group stage the final two years and hadn’t reached the quarterfinals since 2019-20, when it misplaced to Bayern Munich.
“It was an incredible night,” Barcelona midfielder Sergi Roberto mentioned. “It had been four years since this club was where it deserves to be. We have to enjoy this moment.”
In the opposite Champions League match on Tuesday, Arsenal eradicated Porto in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 mixture draw.
The Champions League could possibly be Barcelona’s final life like likelihood for a title this season. It was eradicated within the Copa del Rey and trails Spanish league chief Real Madrid by seven factors. Coach Xavi Hernández already introduced he’ll go away on the finish of the season.
“It was a great match, very complete,” Xavi mentioned. “We have been criticized unfairly, and today we showed that this team is prepared to compete in Europe. We are among the best eight teams in Europe. We have to enjoy it.”
The victory additionally means additional earnings for Barcelona, which has been struggling financially just lately.
The Catalan membership is unbeaten in six conferences with Napoli in all competitions.
It struggled to maintain the Italian facet from threatening after taking the early lead at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. Goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, making his a hundredth UEFA look, was examined usually by Napoli’s assault.
Barcelona had just a few possibilities to extend its lead on counterattacks earlier than Lewandowski sealed the win from shut vary within the 83rd after an help by substitute Roberto. Lewandowski has scored 13 targets in his final 13 knockout stage video games within the Champions League.
López put the hosts forward with a shot from the center of the world within the fifteenth minute after a low cross by Raphinha, who additionally arrange Cancelo’s purpose two minutes later. The Brazil ahead hit the submit from inside the world and the ball bounced again for a straightforward strike by Cancelo.
Napoli acquired on the board within the thirtieth with Rrahmani discovering the web with a low left-footed shot for his first European purpose.
“We gave them an excessive amount of house, we misplaced possession usually, we began with the incorrect angle and didn’t defend nicely,” Napoli coach Francesco Calzona mentioned.
Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal had a purpose disallowed for offside within the 68th.
The final time Barcelona performed within the quarterfinals it had additionally eradicated Napoli 4-2 on mixture within the spherical of 16.
Xavi nonetheless couldn’t depend on a number of gamers due to accidents, together with Pedri, Frenkie De Jong and Ferran Torres. He performed with 17-year-old Pau Cubarsí as a central defender, and {the teenager} was named the person of the match as he helped include Napoli’s assault in his European debut.
The different groups which have superior to the final eight embody Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City.
Source: www.hindustantimes.com
