Barça returned from Naples following a 1-1 draw. They may feel they deserved better from the game, but all the same, it’s a positive result going into the second leg. Indeed, the last four times they have achieved a similar score on the road in a Champions League first leg, they have gone on to ensure qualification at home in the second.
Indeed, the most recent case was against Napoli themselves in 2020. Barça drew 1-1 in Naples, Griezmann scoring the goal, and in a much-delayed second leg due to the pandemic, they went on to win the return match 3-1.
Against Chelsea in 2018, Barça won the second leg 3-0, against Stuttgart in 2010 they won by a spectacular 4-0 and things were just as emphatic in 2009 when they trounced Olympique Lyon 5-2
But in the two previous occasions when Barça drew 1-1 away in the first leg, things didn’t work out quite as sweetly. In the quarter finals of 2003, Barça lost 3-2 at home to Juventus, and in a qualifying game for the 1992-93 group stage, they were stunned by a CSKA Moscow comeback and lost 3-2
Worrying precedent in Europa League
Across all competitions, 1-1 away is a scoreline that has arisen in 17 first legs featuring Barça over the years, and Barça have progressed 14 times (and only on one of those occasions thanks to the away goals rule that no longer applies).
Other than the aforesaid cases against Juve and CSKA, the only other time Barça got beat was also the most recent of all. That was two years ago against Eintracht Frankfurt, when the Germans stunned Spotify Camp Nou with a 3-2 win.
So let the lesson be learned. Although 1-1 away is theoretically a positive result, things haven’t always ended as happily as one would expect.
