FC Barcelona emerged victorious in an exhilarating Champions League clash, defeating Napoli 3-1 at their home ground on Tuesday evening to secure a berth in the quarterfinals of the competition.
The Catalan giants took control early on with two goals in the first half, but Napoli staged a resilient fightback, and it wasn't until the 83rd minute that Robert Lewandowski sealed Barcelona's advancement.
The opening 45 minutes delivered a spectacle of fast-paced football, characterized by end-to-end action, with both teams creating scoring opportunities and narrowly missing chances.
Barcelona's head coach, Xavi Hernandez, made a bold decision by entrusting 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi alongside Ronald Araujo in central defense, opting for him over Inigo Martinez. Additionally, Fermin Lopez earned a spot in midfield alongside Andreas Christensen and Ilkay Gundogan.
Fermin came close to breaking the deadlock early on, but under pressure from Napoli's defense, he lifted the ball over the bar. However, he made amends just 15 minutes into the game when Raphinha's pass found him, and Fermin calmly slotted the ball home from close range.
Barcelona doubled their lead shortly after when Lamine Yamal initiated a swift counter-attack from deep within their own half, setting up Raphinha, whose shot struck the post before Joao Cancelo pounced on the rebound to score.
Napoli responded before halftime, with Amir Rrahmani converting a smart left-footed finish to reduce the deficit.
In the second half, Napoli increased their intensity, pressing Barcelona high up the pitch. They were unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty when Cubarsi appeared to trip Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the box, but the referee opted to award a corner instead.
Despite occasional threats from Napoli, Barcelona maintained composure defensively, with Cubarsi and Araujo thwarting dangerous crosses.
Xavi made tactical substitutions, introducing Oriol Romeu and Sergi Roberto to reinforce control in midfield.
In the 83rd minute, Gundogan's precise pass found Sergi Roberto, who set up Lewandowski for a simple tap-in, sealing Barcelona's place in the quarterfinals.
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