In the decisive second leg of the Champions League, two ex-Bayern stars Barcelona continue to shoot against Naples. Will we now see the Munich team again?
FC Barcelona is back in the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 2020 after a 2-1 home win against SSC Napoli. After the 1-1 draw in the first leg, the Catalans made their success clear with German national players Marc-André ter Stegen and İlkay Gündoğan as well as former Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski in the second leg in Spain.
Fermin gave Barça the lead in the 15th minute of the game. Last season’s Bayern loanee, João Cancelo, made it 2-0 just two minutes later. Naples scored an early goal through Amir Rrahmani (30th). Shortly before the end, Lewandowski made the decision 3-1 with his goal (83′).
Arsenal FC, meanwhile, has ended its Champions League round of 16 trauma. The Gunners beat FC Porto 4-2 on penalties in the second leg. After regular time and extra time the score was 1-0. This meant Arsenal reached the quarter-finals of the premier class for the first time since 2010. The Londoners had previously failed in the first knockout round seven times in a row. The team around German international Kai Havertz lost the first leg 0-1.
Havertz converted confidently in the penalty shootout, but former Leverkusen player Wendell missed when he was denied by David Raya. Then the Spaniard also parried against Galeno and became the Gunners’ hero.
Leandro Trossard (41st) scored the hosts’ goal in the game. Arsenal could also face German record champions Bayern Munich in Friday’s draw.
That’s how the game went
Barça had control of the action in the Olympic Stadium from the start. Winger Raphinha used Lopez exemplary before the opening goal and the young Spaniard finished carefully, Rrahmani had canceled the offside. Cancelo was there quickly after a counterattack and Raphinha’s shot at the post and made the early decision.
But Napoli got back into the game thanks to a mistake from Cancelo, who gave up his position. The advanced central defender Rrahmani evaded Gündoğan and shot in beyond the reach of Ter Stegen. The captain and goalkeeper prevented Giovanni Di Lorenzo from equalizing (34′). Lewandowski (45th + 4) missed the opportunity to restore the old distance.
In the second half, the visitors pushed for an equalizer, which gave Barça opportunities. The striking Raphinha (55th) failed. Teenager Lamine Yamal (16) was offside when he scored (68th) – he would have been the youngest goalscorer in the history of the Champions League.
Former Frankfurt player Jesper Lindström (80th) missed the best chance to equalize with his head before Lewandowski made the decision after preparation from Gündoğan and Sergi Roberto. Another Italian club was happy about Napoli’s exit: record champions Juventus Turin qualified for the 2025 Club World Cup in the USA.