Thank you for joining me.
Here is Sid Lowe’s report from Barcelona.
The lad himself.
3 - Pau Cubarsí is the first Barcelona player to complete 50+ passes (61/68), 100% of his tackles (3/3) and make 5+ clearances on his Champions League debut since at least the 2003/04 season. MVP. pic.twitter.com/qSkBY2DvRe
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) March 12, 2024
Arsenal v Porto is going into extra time. Join Niall McVeigh.
Have a stat.
2 - Robert Lewandowski scored in back-to-back Champions League games for Barcelona for the first time (two goals). Providential. pic.twitter.com/vYI5suRGD6
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) March 12, 2024
Full time: Barcelona 3-1 Napoli (agg 4-2)
It was a very tight game but Barcelona did just enough to see off Napoli. Reaching the quarter finals should be the minimum requirement for a team of Barcelona’s standing but they are a long way from their peak, that’s for sure.
90+2 mins: Gundogan battles to keep hold of the ball to ensure Barcelona tick down the clock.
Romeu bizarrely passes the ball straight to Kvaratskhelia on the edge of the box, allowing him a great chance to score but he drives his shot inches wide.
90 mins: Four minutes added on.
89 mins: Olivera pings a shot against the bar!
88 mins: Barcelona enjoy a few corners in succession. Needless to say, they are taking their time over them.
86 mins: Napoli seem to have accepted their fate. All the energy has gone – they know this is over.
85 mins: Lamine Yamal is taken down by Olivera near the touchline. The defender has already been booked but the referee is lenient on this occasion.
84 mins: Xavi really enjoyed that goal. He must be very relieved.
83 mins: Game over! Sergi Roberto makes a great run into the box and lays it on a plate to Lewandowski to tap into an empty net.
GOAL! Barcelona 3-1 Napoli (Lewandowski, 83) agg 4-2
Great from Sergi Roberto and Lewandowski does the rest.
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82 mins: Joao Felix is on for Raphinha. I am really good at coming up with subs.
His first action is chasing a pass down the left. The Portuguese forward thinks he’s kept it in but the assistant has a different opinion and flags.
80 mins: Barcelona are two-on-two with the Napoli defence but Lewandowski runs offside because he and Raphinha are not on the same wavelength.
SO CLOSE FOR NAPOLI! Lindstrom should do a lot better as he sends a header from six yards wide of the post.
78 mins: Raphinha picks up the ball in the final third and drives forward before thwacking a shot but Meret does well to save. Barcelona are now looking the more likely to score another. Napoli seem a little short of ideas.
Yamine Lamal should do better after a smart lay-off from Gundogan but his shot flies wide.
Traore off Raspadori on.
76 mins: Kounde pings the ball clear and catches Kvaratskhelia with the follow through, leaving the Georgian in pain but is is not deliberate.
74 mins: Gundogan does better moments later, whacking a first-time shot on the turn that is bouncing towards the bottom corner but Meret gets down just in time.
The resulting corner is decent but Lewandowski bundles it wide at the back post.
72 mins: I would suggest Joao Felix for Raphinha as a sub soon because there is not much else on the Barca bench.
Gundogan tries to do a clever free-kick but he whips it straight into Meret’s arms.
70 mins: Barcelona will happily use any extra space offered by Napoli as they look for an equaliser. Lamine Yamal can certainly make the most of it.
68 mins: Olivera is on and in the book after cleaning out Lamine Yamal. Welcome to the party. Raphinha pings the resulting free-kicking towards the bottom corner but Meret gets down well and palms behind.
The corner ends up with the ball in the back of the net after Lamine Yamal taps home but he is well offside.
66 mins: If Barcelona do hold on, I do not think anyone will fear them in the next round. There is very little about them.
64 mins: Politano goes down the left and chips a pass towards the six-yard boxwhich is flicked away from danger by Cubarsi. The ball reaches Cancelo who, inexplicably, heads it back into danger and Barcelona have to put bodies on the line to get it away.
Traore is booked for a challenge on Cancelo.
Oliveira on for Marco Rui and Lindstrom on for Politano.
62 mins: Gundogan finds Lamine Yamal on the right, he cuts in and looks for the German again but his pass is intercepted.
Napoli are readying changes, too.
60 mins: Xavi accepts control is needed in the middle and calls for Romeu and Sergi Roberto. Goalscorer Lopez and Christensen exit.
59 mins: Colum Fordham emails: “Rahmani’s goal has given Napoli a whiff of a chance. Kvara (who was sensational on Friday night against Torino) and Osimhen have the skill and power to enable their team claw their way back into this match.
”I remember a friend inviting my wife and I to a birthday party (not a wedding) in a stunning location on the Amalfi coast on the night of a World Cup match between England and Italy and no initial arrangements for viewing the match. In the end, a screen was made available and I watched with 50 Italians (I was the single England fan) and had to swallow humble pie when Italy won 2-1.”
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57 mins: Barcelona are trying to bring some control but they cannot keep the ball long enough for it come together.
Napoli whip in a couple of dangerous crosses in quick succession but they both go over Osimhen’s head. Barcelona are living a little dangerously.
55 mins: Politano whips in a free-kick under Ter Stegen nose but the goalkeeper is more than happy to claim.
Down the other end … Cancelo does what he does best out on the wing, cutting inside to reach the box; it looks like he is about to shoot but he sets the ball for Raphinha, only to see the Brazilian’s shot repelled by Meret.
53 mins: It’s been all Napoli in the opening stages of this half. Barcelona really need to up their work ethic here or they risk conceding.
Politano goes down after being caught by Cancelo out on the right. I fear for Cancelo in this half.
Updated
51 mins: Osimhen goes in agony inside the box after contact from Cubarsi. There is a little contact but it is not a penalty and I have no idea why the striker thinks he is injured.
Napoli do get a corner which Di Lorenzo flicks well wide of the far post.
49 mins: Politano makes Cancelo look like a pub player by drifting him past him inside the box but his shot is blocked. The left-back is not the best defensively and it could be a source of success for Napoli.
47 mins: Napoli have started in a lively manner, pinging the ball around and putting Barcelona under pressure. Kvaratskhelia gets the ball 20 yards from goal, gets it out of his feet and flashes it past the post.
Second half
Here we go again!
Look forward to the new sillier Champions League.
Half time: Barcelona 2-1 Napoli (agg 3-2)
Barcelona will be upset they have let Napoli back into the tie after an impressive start looked like it had put things to bed. An intriguing second half ahead.
45+1 mins: Napoli try to break from a Barcelona corner but Gundogan catches up with Anguissa and stops the attack near the halfway line.
45 mins: Three minutes added on.
Tim Smith emails: “Just saw Ter Stegen make that excellent save with his “wrong” hand pushing the ball over the bar. I saw Pickford do it at the weekend and it appears to be the preferred technique. This must be trained as it neither appears natural or happened historically. I’m guessing the goalie gets to cover a greater area and can use the leading hand for the far corner and other hand for anything more central. Any goalie coaches know?”
I can’t say I am a goalkeeper coach.
44 mins: Osimhen offside again! Come on, mate.
“Further to Mr Amirault’s comments pre game on putting kids out through necessity, I also have an impression, which may not be entirely justified, that it is also something an outgoing manager often does to burnish their legacy,” says Michael Hunt. “Yes they didn’t reach the heights of whatever was expected of them, but by throwing a load of kids on then in ten years they can say that they gave whoever it is their debut. Noticed it especially with Van Gaal at Man U, and it’s just a pity that Liverpool aren’t doing terribly right now as that would have really supported my theory.”
42 mins: Kvaratskhelia sends a pass into Traore near the penalty spot but his touch is a poor one and the ball is whacked clear by a defender.
40 mins: Lewandowski is pummelled in the back by Juan Jesus and earns a free-kick near the halfway.
The striker gets his first chance of the match soon after. That man Lamine Yamal creates it, slipping a pass into the box – Lewandowski spins and shoots but it goes well wide.
38 mins: Napoli are looking the more dangerous going forward at the moment. The hosts really need to bring back some control.
36 mins: Barcelona break forward in numbers and the ball is sent to Lopez on the edge of the box but his first touch is poor, ensuring the shot that follows is even worse.
34 mins: Mario Rui whips in a cross which Di Lorenzo heads towards goal and Ter Stegen is forced to produce a fine save to tip the ball over.
34 mins: “I once begged off a wedding invite because a work acquaintance of mine had the stupidity to get married on the day of an FA Cup final,” says Justin Kavanagh. “I reckoned the marriage wouldn’t last and I was right. It was a classic final too, but I won’t mention the year in case he reads the Guardian!”
I was at a wedding when England beat Ukraine 4-0 in Euro 2020 and a few people crowded around a phone to watch and wondered, despite my profession, why I didn’t care. I pointed out England would win easily and it was a waste of time. I was right.
32 mins: Napoli head coach Francesco Calzona will be pleased his team have no folded.
Araujo is off the pitch while he is treated for a cut on the head.
It looks like we have a game on our hands here.
GOAL! Barcelona 2-1 Napoli (Rrahmani, 30) agg 3-2
The Napoli defender takes the ball up from the back and keeps on running to slot home Politano’s pull back.
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28 mins: Barcelona are happy to pass the ball around at the back to slow things down, knowing when they do get into the final third they can create something in an instant.
Arsenal need a goal in tonight’s other game.
26 mins: In case you were wondering, Lamine Yamal is ruddy good. Napoli do not look like they can cope with his tricks and movement. I wonder if anyone will make the most of Barcelona’s financial issues and make a cheeky move for him soon. Manchester City maybe …
24 mins: Napoli swing in a cross from the left but it is straight to Ter Stegen. They might need to be a touch more cunning.
22 mins: Osimhen is flagged offside for the fourth time already. I hope he never gets partnered up top with Darwin Nunez.
Joao Cancelo doubles Barca's advantage! 🤩#UCL pic.twitter.com/oJKZ2ife3O
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 12, 2024
Christensen goes into the book for the aforementioned challenge.
20 mins: Christensen flies into a challenge on Lobotka, leaving the Napoli man on the deck.
19 mins: That was a fun few minutes. Can Napoli react? Montjuic does not have the best atmosphere but this has perked everyone up.
GOAL! Barcelona 2-0 Napoli (Cancelo, 17) agg 3-1
One brings two. Barcelona break up the pitch resulting in Raphinha pinging the ball against the post and Cancelo whacking in the rebound. Game over?
Updated
GOAL! Barcelona 1-0 Napoli (Lopez, 15) agg 2-1
Raphinha gets down the left and pulls the ball back into the centre where Lopez is waiting in space to side foot home the opener.
Updated
12 mins: Cubarsi reads Lopez’s mind and sends a long ball over the top for his colleague to chase and control but his lob goes well over the bar.
I can’t say I watch too much Barcelona but Gundogan does not seem to have the same influence in this team he did at City where he was fantastic.
10 mins: Lopez pings a shot from 20 yards or so but he drags it well wide.
Lamine Yamal hits the deck after a coming together with Mario Rui. The challenge is a physically one but it is not a foul. More a case of an experienced defender trying to tell a young protagonist who is in charge.
8 mins: Cubarsi perfectly times a tackle to ensure Osimhen cannot get a touch and run through on goal. The teenager has started well.
6 mins: In hindsight, Osimhen was clearly offside but the flag never went up. But it was a warning, that’s for sure.
4 mins: Lamine Yamal drives forward down the right before cutting inside but his pass out wide to Raphinha is cut out by a defender. The winger is only 16. God I feel old.
Lordy! The ball is sent over the top and Osimhen races away from the defence, going one-on-one with Ter Stegen but his toe-poked effort is straight at the goalkeeper. What a let-off.
2 mins: The ball reaches Osimhen in the box in the opening seconds but Cubarsí does well to hold off the striker. A nice early test for the teenage centre-back.
Down the other end … Barcelona enjoy some neat buildup play but Lamine Yamal’s shot goes well over from the edge of the box.
Kick off
Peep! Peep! Peep! Here we go!
I once went to this stadium to watch Espanyol v Celta Vigo. Binned off a trip to the local theme park on a college trip and went for pints. Great days.
The players are out and the anthem is being booed.
“Not sure that Xavi is being particularly bold by playing the youngsters,” says
Chris Amirault. “As Sid likes to point out, often these sorts of opportunities result from squad necessity more than courage. Barca haven’t been able to put together a strong team for much of the season, and the loss of Gavi in particular has left Xavi scrambling to create new shapes with whomever they have. Time for the (even younger) kids to shine. Or… you know…”
I would have thought Inigo Martinez on the bench would seem a more experienced option in this situation, especially having played 90 minutes at the weekend.
“Congrats to you and Mrs. U on 9 years,” cheers Justin Madson. “Just got married this past fall so I haven’t had to make that decision (mistake?).... yet.
“Anyways, just wanted to say that the pre-match coverage in the US is so awful I’d rather watch nothing than try to struggle through Micah Richards and Jamie Carragher having “bantz”. I really wish that executives in the US were more in tune with quality football announcing instead of trying to recreate the insufferable announcers of other US sports. Maybe then US football fans won’t be told they’re dumb by their team captain (sorry, not buying her apology on that one).”
I have James Horncastle pitchside and Glenn Hoddle in the studio. It’s lovely.
Barcelona’s side is not the fear-inducing starting XI of years gone by but there’s plenty of quality in there. It will be interesting how the younger players do under such pressure. Barcelona can’t afford to fail in the Champions League.
Have a big of Nick Ames in Serbia, too.
Xavi has given 17-year-old centre-back Pau Cubarsí his Champions League debut. A bold move in such a big match.
So … today is my ninth anniversary with Mrs U. I offer you the question: what sporting occasion have you chosen over a personal event (or vice versa)?
Pre-match reading from Sid Lowe.
Starting lineups
Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Koundé, Araujo, Cubarsí, Cancelo; Fermín López, Christensen, Gündogan; Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski, Raphinha.
Subs: Iñaki Peña, Astralaga, H. Fort, Iñigo Martínez, Sergi Roberto, Romeu, Casadó, Unai, Vitor Roque, Joao Félix, Marc Guiu
Napoli: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Juan Jesus, Mario Rui; Zambo Anguissa, Lobotka, Traorè; Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia.
Subs: Contini, Gollini, Natan, Olivera, Simeone, Cajuste, Ngonge, Lindstrom, Mazzocchi, Ostigard, Raspadori
Preamble
After a draw in the first leg, we are set for a fascinating evening at Montjuic. It still seems a little strange to see Barcelona not playing at Camp Nou and the atmosphere has taken a hit but with scores level we can expect the former Olympic stadium to be rather lively tonight.
Barcelona’s form is a little up and down. They edged past Mallorca at the weekend after a draw in Bilbao but there is no doubting the quality available to Xavi who will be hoping everything clicks into place tonight.
Napoli are unbeaten in five in Serie A but that includes three draws and they have been incredibly patchy all season, which explains why they sit seventh in the league table. Their year rides on how they do in the Champions League.
It might not be a classic tonight but it will certainly be intriguing.
Kick-off: 8pm GMT
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