- Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal set the tone against Napoli.
- Pau Cubarsí delivered solidly in Barcelona’s back ranks. The youngster also distinguished himself offensively.
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal set the tone against Napoli. Photo: Joan Monfort / AP / NTB
Pau Cubarsí delivered solidly in Barcelona’s back ranks. The youngster also distinguished himself offensively. Photo: Joan Monfort / AP / NTB
(Barcelona – Napoli 3–1, 4–2 on aggregate) Barcelona reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time in four years.
Tuesday 12 March at 23:00
Behind the triumph were, among others, Lamine Yamal (16) and Pau Cubarsi (17).
Fermín López (20), João Cancelo and Robert Lewandowski scored Barcelona’s goals. Amir Rrahmani was responsible for the away team’s reduction.
– While the youngsters have dragged the load earlier in the match, they show all their routine and splendor here on the eve of the match, said TV 2’s commentator Morten Langli.
Leo Skiri Østigård remained on the bench for Napoli.
Barcelona made two substitutions after an hour, but Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal (16) and Pau Cubarsí (17) remained on the pitch. The two ensured that the Spanish big club became historic on Tuesday night:
According to statistics service Opta, Barcelona became the first team in the knockout rounds of the men’s Champions League to start with two players aged 17 or younger.
– It is fantastic to see a 16-year-old playing football at that level. We get to enjoy every second, said Langli.
As expected, Barcelona got off to the best start on Tuesday night at the Olympic Stadium. Cubarsí served López alone in the back room after a quarter of an hour, but his chip went over the mark. Just minutes later, López made it 1-0 with a controlled finish.
Then it was the 16-year-old Yamal who was the architect when Barcelona countered. Raphinha put the ball on the post before Cancelo put in the rebound.
Rrahmani scored 1–2 after half an hour. The centre-back looked like a classic striker when he wide-sided the reducer.
Napoli with goalscoring Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen created several dangers, but Barcelona kept away. Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, among other things, had to stretch properly when he brilliantly saved a header from captain Di Lorenzo.
Substitute Jesper Lindstrøm came closest for Napoli, but the Dane’s free header from close range went just wide.
Barcelona took advantage of that, winning 3-1 through Lewandowski after great play when seven minutes of normal time remained.
Mathías Olivera hit the crossbar just before the end, and Kvaratskhelia shot just wide in search of another consolation goal. The Champions League dream lives on for outgoing Barcelona boss Xavi.