Barcelona reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in four years with an entertaining 3-1 victory over Napoli in Spain last night.
Fermin Lopez and Joao Cancelo put Barcelona on their way, but they were made to work hard by Napoli who pulled one back through Amir Rrahmani.
A back-and-forth encounter was eventually settled by striker, Robert Lewandowski’s close-range goal with seven minutes of normal time remaining.
Following a brisk opening, Barcelona scored 2 goals in three minutes.
First, 20-year-old midfielder, Lopez took his chance to impress on the big stage as he converted a side-footed goal 15 minutes after Lewandowski dummied Raphinha’s low cross.
Raphinha was also at the centre of Barcelona’s second goal, leading a counter-attack and curling a shot off the post, before loanee Cancelo scored from the rebound.
Napoli pulled one back on the half hour when centre-back, Rrahmani ventured forward to score following a cutback from the right.
Napoli pushed hard for an equaliser, and missed their best chance with 10 minutes remaining as Jesper Lindstrom sent a free header wide from seven yards.
But they eventually came up short as Barcelona sealed a win for the first time in five Champions League knockout ties when Lewandowski tapped home after being set up by slick play from Sergi Roberto.
Related
