Competition Focus

Barcelona vs Napoli score, result, highlights from UEFA Champions League as Xavi’s team reach quarter finals

Photo of admin admin Send an email 12 March 2024
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Are Barcelona back? That’s a difficult question. But they are, at least, back in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League — and in some style.

After a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Round of 16 tie with Napoli, they hosted the reigning Serie A champions at a packed-out but nervy Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. This, after all, is the Catalans’ last realistic chance of silverware before Xavi steps down as head coach, with Real Madrid comfortably in control of the La Liga title race and Barca’s Copa del Rey challenge ending back in January. Defeat here would have been tough to stomach: for Xavi, his players, a fanbase wracked with uncertainty about the future, and a club bank balance that remains a missed payment away from ruin.

This, Xavi had said, was the most important game of Barca’s season to date. And they played like it. A 3-1 win on the night, a 4-2 victory on aggregate, was easily what they deserved. From a frenetic start that saw them score twice in two minutes after quarter of an hour, to an uneasy spell of worrying midfield play, right through to a dominant and jubilant ending, Barca were here to prove a point: they might not be perfect, but they belong in this competition, and at a stage they hadn’t reached since 2019/20.

MORE: When is the Champions League quarterfinal draw?

Barcelona vs Napoli final score

  Fulltime (agg.) Goalscorers
Barcelona 3 (4) Lopez 15′, Cancelo 17′, Lewandowski 83′
Napoli 1 (2) Rrahmani 30′

Confirmed lineups:

Barcelona (4-3-3, right to left): 1. Mar-Andre ter Stegen (GK) — 23. Jules Kounde, 4. Ronald Araujo, 33. Pau Cubarsi, 2. Joao Cancelo — 16. Fermin Lopez (20. Sergi Roberto, 60′), 15. Andreas Christensen (18. Oriol Romeu, 61′), 22. Ilkay Gundogan — 27. Lamine Yamal, 9. Robert Lewandowski, 11. Raphinha (14. Joao Felix, 81′)

Napoli (4-3-3 right to left): 1. Alex Meret (GK) — 22. Giovanni Di Lorenzo, 13. Amir Rrahmani, 5. Juan Jesus, 6. Mario Rui (17. Mathias Olivera, 64′) — 99. Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, 68. Stanislav Lobotka, 8. Hamed Traore (81. Giacomo Raspadori, 78′) — 21. Matteo Politano (29. Jesper Lindstrom, 64′), 9. Victor Osimhen, 77. Kvicha Kvaratskhelia (26. Cyril Ngonge, 90+3′)

MORE: The top goalscorers in this season’s UEFA Champions League

Xavi has often demanded his players show more intensity this season, and he will have been enthused by the way they started. They pressed and covered passing lanes superbly and, with the ball, attacked with speed. The outstanding Fermin Lopez was the beneficiary when Raphinha and Joao Cancelo combined down the left, and Robert Lewandowski leapt over the ball, allowing the midfielder to finish.

Two minutes later, Raphinha again cut in from the left, this time unleashing a shot with his weaker right foot that cannoned back off the post and fell kindly to Cancelo. Fortunate, yes, but no more than they deserved.

Of course, this wouldn’t be Barcelona 2023/24 without some attempt at surrendering control of a game. They had the first leg in their pocket only to gift Victor Osimhen a goal after squandering chances for 2-0, and they duly let Napoli back into the contest here before halftime, Cancelo switching off and allowing Giovanni Di Lorenzo to set up centre-back Amir Rrahmani for a surprisingly accomplished finish.

The second half became nervy, Barca surrendering possession too easily in a makeshift midfield anchored by Andreas Christensen. His place at centre-back was filled by Pau Cubarsi, a centre-back making his Champions League knockout debut against one of Europe’s most feared strikers. Alongside Ronald Araujo, the 17-year-old was magnificent.

Xavi then introduced Sergi Roberto to wrestle back control, and it paid off: the Spain international linked with Ilkay Gundogan and set up Robert Lewandowski for a tap-in, just minutes after Napoli substitute Jesper Lindstrom had missed a sitter. Yet this wasn’t a smash-and-grab; this was fully deserved. This was Barcelona proving that maybe, just maybe, they can mix it with the continent’s best once again.

Barcelona vs Napoli live updates, highlights, and commentary

Fulltime: Barcelona 3-1 Napoli (4-2 agg.)

It’s all over, and Barcelona are back in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals!

90 + 2 mins: KVARATSKHELIA! Romeu gives the ball away on the edge of the box and the winger drills a shot inches wide! Ter Stegen didn’t move. What a chance that was. At the other end, Gundogan sets up Lamine Yamal, who shoots straight at Meret.

90 + 1 mins: We’re into four minutes of added time. Can Napoli pull off a miracle?

89 mins: Off the bar from Olivera! The home fans are in full voice but suddenly silenced as the Napoli left-back digs out a shot to the left of the six-yard box that clips the bar and bounces clear! That could have made things interesting.

86 mins: The ball is firmly in Napoli’s half, all thanks to Lamine Yamal, who won a free-kick after nutmegging Olivera while on the ground after falling over. This young man is quite something. Napoli are having to defend a string of corners now.

83 mins: GOAL! LEWANDOWSKI SURELY KILLS THE TIE! Roberto brings the ball infield, passes to Gundogan, and gets a precise return pass as he runs through the static defence. He has a chance to shoot, but he squares the ball to Lewandowski, who has a tap-in with Meret committed.

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80 mins: LINDSTROM! He has to score! The substitute gets into a gap between Cubarsi and Cancelo but puts his header wide of the post from barely five yards out. What a chance for Napoli!

78 mins: So close from Lamine Yamal! Roberto wins back possession from Anguissa, the ball is worked nicely to the teenager, but his curled effort flies inches wide!

77 mins: Gundogan has begun to take over here. He leads another Barca break, and Raphinha’s shot from 20 yards out is, again, unconvincingly kept out by Meret.

74 mins: Gundogan’s snap shot is saved by Meret, but not entirely convincingly. The Napoli keeper is doing enough, but he looks suspect.

71 mins: Those changes from Xavi have just helped Barca regain an element of control in midfield. Napoli are starting to push players further forward, which is leaving them a little more susceptible on the break. Osimhen, still, can’t shake off the attentions of Cubarsi.

68 mins: GO- NO! Disallowed! Lewandowski’s header from a corner is parried poorly by Meret. The shot on the rebound from Roberto falls to Lamine Yamal via the toe of Araujo. He bundles the ball into the net, but he was offside.

64 mins: Cancelo, what are you doing?! Under no pressure, the full-back heads a cross back towards Osimhen near the penalty spot, and the defence has to scramble to close down Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa’s shot. Cancelo has played well here, but that was almost a terrible error.

59 mins: Barca are giving up possession far too easily in the middle of midfield, and it seems Xavi has spotted the problem. Oriol Romeu is coming on for Christensen — who has looked suspect in his passing as a makeshift central midfielder — as is Sergi Roberto, surprisingly, for Fermin Lopez.

57 mins: Osimhen is locked in a battle with Cubarsi and, right now, the teenager is winning. Kvaratskhelia’s cross from the left loops towards Napoli’s No. 9, but Cubarsi gets there first to win the header.

55 mins: A good break from Barca, instigated by Lopez, sees Cancelo drive into the box and cut back before laying the ball off to Raphinha. His shot lacks power, and Alex Meret can parry. Had the Brazilian struck that better, it could’ve left the keeper with little chance.

50 mins: Osimhen goes to ground a little exuberantly in the penalty area, but the officials are unmoved. Looking at the replay, he might have had a case — Cubarsi looks like he caught him there.

47 mins: Kvaratskhelia! A right-foot shot whistles past the right-hand post. Ter Stegen looked concerned, but he might have had it covered.

Kickoff: Second half

Napoli have 45 minutes to save their Champions League season…

Halftime: Barcelona 2-1 Napoli (3-2 agg.)

Barca are heading through as things stand, but this tie feels on a knife-edge, despite the Catalans’ excellent start.

45 + 1: An Ilkay Gundogan corner bounces around the Napoli box, Christensen shifts his feet well, but his shot is blocked. That’s pretty much that for the half.

43 mins: Slightly strange situation here. The referee gives a goal kick after Di Lorenzo tackles Raphinha near the corner flag. The Barca man, and the fans, can’t believe the decision — so the referee changes his mind. It was actually a corner, as it came off the Napoli man last, but had Barca made that count, you can imagine the away side would have been a little frustrated.

40 mins: Barca are just looking to slow things down now and sap some of Napoli’s momentum. After Lopez wins the ball back from from Lobotka, Lamine Yamal slides a pass to Lewandowski, whose shot on the turn is blocked wide.

35 mins: Ter Stegen saves! Rui climbs above Cubarsi and heads back across goal, but the Barca keeper tips the effort onto the roof of the net. That came from the Catalans losing possession in their own half. Suddenly, their control has been shaken.

33 mins: Isn’t that just Barcelona to a T this season? Controlling a match only to give up a goal too easily has become a real problem. This time, at least, they had already taken two chances of their own.

30 mins: GOAL! NAPOLI ARE BACK IN IT! Matteo Politano gets away from Cancelo down the Napoli right and cuts the ball back towards the centre of the box, where defender Amir Rrahmani arrives to slot home a really composed first-time finish. Suddenly, it’s game on!

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28 mins: The game has settled down a little now. Possession is fairly even, but Barca are playing with much greater intensity. Napoli need to rouse themselves here — they look a little shell-shocked.

20 mins: There’s a break in play here as Stanislav Lobotka receives treatment to his foot. Andreas Christensen slid in to win the ball but left his studs on the Napoli midfielder in the process. He’s up and running again, and Christensen is perhaps lucky to avoid a card.

18 mins: Osimhen gets in behind again, but his low shot from a tight angle is saved by Ter Stegen’s outstretched boot. Again, he was offside.

17 mins: GOAL! IT’S 2-0 ALREADY! Kvaratskhelia leads an attack for Napoli, Araujo clears, and suddenly Barca can break through Lamine Yamal. Raphinha cuts in from the left and shoots right-footed, the ball cannons back off the post, and it falls kindly for Cancelo to finish coolly.

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15 mins: GOAL! Lopez puts Barcelona ahead! Cubarsi starts the move again, moving play out wide to Joao Cancelo, who plays a quick pass into the path of Raphinha. His cut-back is dummied by Robert Lewandowski, and Lopez is there to sweep home a low first-time finish from near the edge of the box. Delightful team play from Barca!

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13 mins: Fermin Lopez! Cubarsi picks out the midfielder’s diagonal run superbly, Lopez’s first touch is exquisite, but the second sees his attempted lob of Alex Meret soar comfortably over the bar from 20 yards. It was a difficult chance, but perhaps a little rushed.

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8 mins: Kvicha Kvaratskhelia plays the ball to Osimhen, who turns to run towards the Barca goal. In comes a thundering sliding challenge from Cubarsi, who played the ball cleanly. It’s fair to say he’s not overawed by the task of facing one of Europe’s most dangerous strikers.

4 mins: Osimhen! What a chance! The striker is in behind the Barca defence, but as Ronald Araujo gets back to put him off, Osimhen shoots straight at Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Barca defenders were pretty sure he was offside… and, judging by the replay, he was. Still, he should have finished the chance better than that.

3 mins: Lamine Yamal has enjoyed a bright start, including a shot from the edge of the box that sailed over. He looks like a young man determined to live up to some pretty major pre-match billing.

Kickoff: First half

Here we go! Napoli get the ball rolling in a boisterous Lluis Companys stadium.

20 mins before kickoff: Tonight’s referee is Danny Makkelie, who officiated at Euro 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He has history when it comes to significant European matches between Spanish and Italian clubs: the Dutch official was in charge for the 2020 Europa League final, in which Sevilla beat Inter Milan 3-2.

Team news

There’s been plenty of talk in the build-up about Lamine Yamal — a player compared to Lionel Messi — and he starts tonight’s game. There’s also a place in the Barca lineup for 17-year-old defender Pau Cubarsi, another hugely promising prospect.

Napoli go with Hamed Traore in midfield, while Mario Rui keeps his place at left-back.

1 hour 15 mins before kickoff: This game feels like something of a free hit for Napoli. Their Serie A title defence has gone horribly, they are on their third coach of the season — Francesco Calzona, the Slovakia boss, is in interim charge — and they are not expected to mount a serious challenge for this trophy, unlike last season. That could mean the pressure is off tonight.

“They have made giant strides under my management in recent weeks,” he said of his players. “There are still things to work on, but a lot of things have changed.”

1 hour 45 mins before kickoff: Xavi described this match as the most important of Barcelona’s season to date, saying: “We are really up for it. It has been a while since we reached the quarterfinals, so it’s a huge opportunity.”

The Champions League is also Barca’s last realistic shot at a trophy before their head coach leaves at the end of the season, but he insisted tonight is not about him. “It’s about the club and the team. I already have an expiry date,” Xavi said.

2 hours before kickoff: Barcelona vs. Napoli. The champions of Spain vs. the champions of Italy. Diego Maradona’s old club vs. Diego Maradona’s old club. Who’s excited?

Barcelona vs Napoli kick off time

This Champions League clash takes place at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona, Spain and kicks off on Tuesday, March 12 at 9:00 p.m. local time.

Here’s how that time translates across some of the major territories:

  Date Kickoff time
USA Tue, Mar. 12 4:00 p.m. ET
Canada Tue, Mar. 12 4:00 p.m. ET
UK Tue, Mar. 12 8:00 p.m. GMT
India Wed, Mar. 13 1:30 a.m. IST

Barcelona vs Napoli lineups, team news

Xavi will be without midfield duo Pedri and Frenkie de Jong until after the international break meaning the hosts will tweak their midfield. Uruguayan international Ronald Araujo is back following a La Liga suspension and starts in defence, along with rising star Pau Cubarsi.

Barcelona (4-3-3, right to left): Ter Stegen (GK) — Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Cancelo — Lopez, Christensen, Gundogan — Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski, Raphinha.

Barcelona subs: Martinez, Pena, Joao Felix, Romeu, Vitor Roque, Roberto, Astralaga, Casado, Unai, Guiu, Fort

Amir Rrahmani returns after missing the first leg through injury, with Mario Rui keeping his place at left-back and Hame Traore lining up in midfield.

Napoli (4-3-3 right to left): Meret (GK) — Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Jesus, Rui — Anguissa, Lobotka, Traore — Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia.

Napoli subs: Natan, Contini, Olivera, Simeone, Cajuste, Ngonge, Lindstrom, Mazzocchi, Ostigard, Raspadori, Gollini

Barcelona vs Napoli live stream, TV channel

Here’s how to watch this Champions League match across selected areas of the world’s major regions:

Region TV Streaming
USA Univision, TUDN USA Paramount+,
ViX, Fubo, Univision NOW, TUDN app/website
Canada —

DAZN
UK TNT Sports 2 discovery+
India — JioTV, Sony LIV
Australia — Stan Sport





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Photo of admin admin Send an email 12 March 2024
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