BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — 4 years later, Barcelona is once more celebrating a triumph within the knockout stage of the Champions League.
The five-time European champions returned to the quarterfinals with a 3-1 win over Napoli on Tuesday.
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 couldn’t repeat its last-eight look from final season, when it received 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 unimaginable evening,” Barcelona midfielder Sergi Roberto stated. “It had been 4 years since this membership was the place it deserves to be. We have now to take pleasure in this second.”
Within the different Champions League match on Tuesday, Arsenal eradicated Porto in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 mixture draw.
The Champions League may very well be Barcelona’s final life like probability for a title this season. It was eradicated within the Copa del Rey and trails Spanish league chief Actual Madrid by seven factors. Coach Xavi Hernández already introduced he’ll go away on the finish of the season.
“It was an amazing match, very full,” Xavi stated. “We have now been criticized unfairly, and as we speak we confirmed that this staff is ready to compete in Europe. We’re among the many greatest eight groups in Europe. We have now to take pleasure in it.”
The victory additionally means further revenue for Barcelona, which has been struggling financially not too long ago.
The Catalan membership is unbeaten in six conferences with Napoli in all competitions.
It struggled to maintain the Italian aspect 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 a number of probabilities 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 realm 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 realm and the ball bounced again for a simple strike by Cancelo.
Napoli bought 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 area, we misplaced possession usually, we began with the unsuitable angle and didn’t defend effectively,” Napoli coach Francesco Calzona stated.
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 comprise Napoli’s assault in his European debut.
The opposite groups which have superior to the final eight embrace Actual Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester Metropolis.
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