Champions League: Barcelona Book Quarterfinal Ticket After Beating Napoli

By Daily sports on August 9, 2020

Lionel Messi scored a brilliant solo goal as Barcelona battled past Napoli on Saturday to book a Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich.

Messi's weaving run and finish came between an early Clement Lenglet header and a Luis Suarez penalty, won by Messi, as Barca stormed to a 3-0 lead in the first half at Camp Nou.

Lorenzo Insigne gave Napoli hope just before the interval with his own spot-kick but despite a nervy second period, Barcelona held on to win 3-1 on the night and 4-2 on aggregate.

After finishing five points behind Real Madrid in LaLiga, Barca resumed in the Champions League with doubts hanging over the form of the team and the future of their coach.

Quique Setien said on Friday he had not considered resigning but failure in Europe, after a turbulent domestic campaign, would likely take the decision out of his hands.

Victory against Napoli eases the pressure but a disjointed second half will not inspire confidence, even with Messi seemingly rejuvenated after three weeks rest.

Napoli, whose own league season only finished last weekend, should have had the advantage of rhythm but a disastrous first half left them with too much to do.

Their central defender Kalidou Koulibaly, linked with a move to several elite European clubs this summer, endured a particularly disappointing night.

Barcelona will have to improve significantly to match Bayern, who advanced after putting seven past Chelsea over two legs and are arguably favourites to win the tournament.

Napoli began an eventful first half by hitting the post as Dries Mertens went close with a miskicked half-volley, only for Lenglet to head in for Barca from Ivan Rakitic’s corner after nine minutes.

Messi made it two after a barnstorming run in which he fell to the ground only to dart back up and bundle his way through three Napoli defenders before curling into the far corner.

He thought he had another after finishing off a delightful pass from the outside of Frenkie de Jong’s right foot but it was ruled out, the ball feathering Messi’s arm as he controlled it.

But he could not be suppressed for long, harrying the unsuspecting Koulibaly in the penalty area and poking the ball away from his opponent, who was already swinging to clear and succeeded only in bringing Messi down.

Messi needed treatment and deferred the penalty to Suarez, who drove into the top corner but Napoli made it 3-1 deep in first half stoppage time, Insigne scoring from the spot after Rakitic barged into Mertens.

Napoli needed two more to progress and enjoyed their best spell early in the second period.

They might have tested Barcelona's nerves if Arkadiusz Milik’s header 10 minutes from the end had stood while Hirving Lozano’s late header hit the foot of the post. Barca were relieved to hear the whistle. (AFP)

•PHOTO: Barcelona players 

Source Daily sports

Posted August 9, 2020


 

You may also like...
Pulisic: ‘Freak Injury’ Disrupted Awesome First Season

PDP Chieftain, Henry Nwoha Calls For Full Participation...

Glazers Inform Man Utd Directors Of Sale Plans...

Kayode’s hat-trick delights Şanlıurfaspor

Kalu Trains As He Nears Bordeaux Return

Vieira Slams Homophobic Chants Aimed At His Player,...

 

Latest News CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns Ex-Nigerian Super Falcons player handcuffed, children assaulted as police storm Anambra Football Academy Sports NFF, teammates console Nwabali on father’s death Abia Govt hails Nigeria Olympic Committee over staging an admin course in Umuahia Libya deliver Eagles 2025 AFCON ticket Eagles battle Cheetahs for 2025 AFCON ticket Yellow Greens gear up for T20 W’Cup qualifiers Tyson tips Fury to beat Joshua Sadiq absent as 22 Eagles train in Abidjan Eagles’ striking trio hot for Cheetahs, Amavubi clashes

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,164 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,307 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,370 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,015 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,948 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,904 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,743 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,312 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,366 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,054 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,507 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,931 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media