Barcelona Triumphant Over Napoli to Secure Quarter-Final Berth
Goals from López, Cancelo, and Lewandowski Seal 3-1 Victory
Barcelona Advance with 4-2 Aggregate Score
Barcelona secured a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Napoli on Tuesday, March 12th, advancing to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals with a 4-2 aggregate score. The match, which served as the second leg of the Round of 16 encounter, saw goals from Fermín López (15'), João Cancelo (17'), and Robert Lewandowski (83') for Barcelona, while Amir Rrahmani netted for Napoli in the 30th minute.
Barcelona started the match on the front foot, dominating possession and creating several early chances. Their efforts paid off in the 15th minute when López found the back of the net, giving Barcelona an early 1-0 lead. Just two minutes later, Cancelo doubled the advantage with a stunning long-range effort. Napoli managed to pull one back through Rrahmani's header in the 30th minute, but Barcelona remained in control of the game.
The second half saw a more evenly contested affair, with both teams having opportunities to score. However, it was Lewandowski who ultimately sealed the victory for Barcelona in the 83rd minute, coolly finishing off a through ball from Ansu Fati. The goal effectively ended the match as a contest, ensuring Barcelona's progression to the next round.
The win marks Barcelona's first appearance in the Champions League quarter-finals in four years. They will now face Inter Milan in the next round, who defeated Porto 2-0 on aggregate.
Match Statistics:
- Possession: Barcelona 65% - Napoli 35%
- Shots: Barcelona 15 - Napoli 10
- Shots on Target: Barcelona 7 - Napoli 4
- Corners: Barcelona 6 - Napoli 3
Barcelona Starting Lineup:
- Ter Stegen
- Alba
- Pique
- García
- Roberto
- Busquets
- de Jong
- Cancelo
- López
- Aubameyang
- Lewandowski
Napoli Starting Lineup:
- Meret
- Rrahmani
- Kim
- Di Lorenzo
- Rui
- Lobotka
- Zambo Anguissa
- Politano
- Osimhen
- Insigne
- Kvaratskhelia
Comments