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Champions League Liveblog: Napoli vs. Barcelona

Byfbadmin

Feb 21, 2024 20:01

Football Italia Live Blog
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21:55 That is all for the Liveblog

Check the main site for more coverage and we’ll see you tomorrow for Rennes-Milan and Roma-Feyenoord.

21:55 FT: Porto 1-0 Arsenal

21:55 Napoli 1-1 Barcelona

 

21:54 Porto 1-0 Arsenal

Galeno in stoppages!

21:52 FT: Napoli 1-1 Barcelona

In all honesty, expected worse!

21:51 Barcelona so close!

Oof! Lewandowski controls a ball over the top, lays it off for Gundogan, who tries to pass it into the bottom corner, but it hits the wrong side of the net!

21:47 Stoppages

Into 4 minutes of stoppages.

21:45 Simeone chance!

That fell kindly for him, he turned quickly and the half-volley was just over the bar!

21:43 Barcelona changes

Joao Felix and Romeu on, Christensen and Pedri off

21:41 General chaos

Barca defenders panic on that corner, give away a third in a row, from which Anguissa free header is wide of the near post!

21:40 Another Napoli corner

Raspadori ball over the top, Simeone chest and turn, blocked for a corner.

21:40 Osimhen goal for the Brits

 

21:39 Napoli corner

Doesn’t come to much, but it’s pressure.

21:37 Osimhen goal for the US viewers

 

21:36 Barca change

Raphinha on, Lamine Yamal off

21:36 Raspadori free kick

Into the wall.

21:35 Christensen booked

Barca are starting to look freaked out now. Christensen hauls down Lobotka on the counter. Free kick in Raspadori territory.

21:33 Napoli changes

We were right, Osimhen saw that coming! Osimhen and Politano off, Simeone and Raspadori on.

21:32 Napoli 1-1 Barcelona: Victor Osimhen!

That came out of nowhere! Anguissa through ball, he turns Inigo Martinez, who was really too weak physically there, and drills past Ter Stegen from just inside the area! Barcelona complaining there was a foul, there really wasn’t, and he’s booked for the protest too.

21:31 Calzona talking to Simeone

So entirely possible Osimhen will be off soon too.

21:28 Interesting

The stats now say Napoli had one shot. We’ll be honest, can’t entirely remember what that was. Maybe the Politano header over?

21:26 Potential Napoli chance

Only potential, but Lindstrom already making his presence felt by rolling across from the left for Osimhen, cut out crucially by a defender.

21:24 Napoli changes

Cajuste and Kvaratskhelia off, Traore and Lindstrom on. Grumbles from the crowd.

21:23 Lewandowski goal

 

21:22 Save on Pedri

Pedri scorcher from distance, Meret not entirely confident, but manages to palm it away for a corner.

21:19 Clash of heads

Araujo hurt after clash of heads with Osimhen, who of course has a protective mask.

21:17 Napoli 0-1 Barcelona: Robert Lewandowski

Pedri through ball for Lewandowski nutmegs Rrahmani, who controls and drills low into the near bottom corner from 14 yards.

21:13 Kvara free kick

Kvara free kick cleared. It’s a far more even half, this.

21:12 Osimhen fouled

Inigo Martinez late on Osimhen, free kick for Napoli near the corner flag.

21:10 Short corners

Still waiting for the elusive good short corner routine. That was not it.

21:09 Juan Jesus decisive

Cancelo rolls across for the Lewandowski tap-in, crucial Juan Jesus interception – and a risky one too. Corner.

21:09 Not entirely surprising

 

21:08 ADL plans afoot?

 

21:07 Osimhen offside

He’s been offside a lot tonight, and didn’t connect with the Lobotka through ball either. Gundogan then runs forward and fires over with no support.

21:05 Meret save

An easy one though on Gundogan

21:02 Politano nods wide

Napoli look like they got shouted at during the break and are coming out more aggressive. Politano and Osimhen both go for the header.

21:02 2nd half kicks off: Napoli 0-0 Barcelona

No changes.

20:57 Matteo Politano at half-time

“What changed is that we got the measure of them, Barcelona are very good with their passing and it was difficult for us at the start. In the last 15 minutes we got into the game and did well.

“We need to hold the ball more in the second half, because defending is not Barcelona’s strong point and we must make the most of it.”

20:54 A half of two halves

Barcelona started with confidence and gradually lost it. Napoli started looking terrified and gradually started poking their heads out from the parapet.

20:46 Half-Time: Napoli 0-0 Barcelona

Only chances were from Barca, but Meret was equal to them. Possession 43-57. Did not expect that in the first 25 minutes.

20:43 Bad Cancelo cross

Cancelo tries to counter, cross lands on the roof of the net. Poor.

20:42 Napoli definitely growing

After that initial panic, Napoli have settled and got into this game.

20:41 Oh dear

Doesn’t come to much, Barca try to counter, it hits Gundogan on the back, then Kvara can’t keep the pass in either.

20:40 Corner for Napoli

Decent Politano cross floated in, Kvara header deflected for a corner.

20:39 This is better

Napoli are seeing some of the ball. Which if nothing else gives the lips of the whistling home fans a rest.

20:37 Bit of Napoli pressure

They’ve been in the opposition half for a couple of minutes, which is… new. Politano free kick doesn’t come to much, but they’ve got some of the ball at least.

20:34 So far

Osimhen’s main contribution is getting fouled quite a lot.

20:34 Lewandowski wide

Lewandowski nods a Gundogan free kick well wide.

20:30 In Portugal

 

20:28 Gundogan chance

 

20:27 Better

A couple of Napoli crosses into the box at least. Osimhen offside, but making his presence felt.

20:26 A little encouragement

Di Lorenzo run first blocked off, then Kvaratskhelia fouled in midfield by Christensen. It’s something. Not a lot. But something.

20:23 Meret again!

Gundogan scorcher from distance, Meret flies to palm it out for a corner.

20:22 Save on Lewandowski!

Danger for Napoli, Joao Cancelo gets to the by-line and pulls back for Lewandowski tap-in, Meret uses his legs to parry at the near post!

20:20 Napoli corner

Osimhen cross charged down, then Napoli corner is cleared fairly easily.

20:19 The new man

 

20:18 Yamal penalty appeals

Referee waved play on, he hit the cross straight at Olivera, who had his arm low and might even have been outside the area.

20:16 De Jong booked

De Jong booked for going through the back of Di Lorenzo.

20:16 Meret alert

Meret alert to run off his line and anticipate Pedro.

20:14 Just in case

If we don’t write for a while, just assume it is Barcelona passing it around while Napoli cower. Lewandowski blocked at the by-line by Juan Jesus, avoids a corner too.

20:12 Osimhen threatens

Osimhen tries to chase down a loose pass in the final third, but Ter Stegen keeps calm.

20:10 Napoli attack

Rare! Lucky ricochet comes through for Kvaratskhelia, blocked off at the by-line for a throw-in.

20:09 Meret save

First shot on target after 8 minutes, Lamine Yamal stings the gloves of Alex Meret.

20:08 It’s not reassuring

If Napoli have about 30 per cent possession in this game, it will be an achievement.

20:06 Napoli clear, but not for long

The fans are going to get awfully tired if they will jeer whenever Barcelona have the ball.

20:05 Corner for Barcelona

Lobotka error to give it away, Di Lorenzo had to put it out for a corner. Calzona already looks frustrated. The crowd is already irritated.

20:04 Yamal off target

Lemine Yamal fired over from 12 yards after the offside trap failed.

20:03 Strong Barca start

As expected, Barcelona dominating possession early doors.

20:01 We have kick-off in Napoli vs. Barcelona!

Napoli: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Juan Jesus, Olivera; Anguissa, Lobotka, Cajuste; Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia

Napoli bench: Contini, Gollini, Natan, Mario Rui, Traore, Simeone, Lindstrom, Mazzocchi, Ostigard, Raspadori

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Koundé, Ronald Araújo, Íñigo Martínez, Joao Cancelo; Gündogan, Christensen, F de Jong; Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski, Pedri

Barcelona bench: Raphinha, Inaki Pena, Joao Felix, Romeu, Vitor Roque, Sergi Roberto, Astralaga, M Casado, Fermin, Cubarsi, Marc Guiu, H Fort

Ref: Zwayer (GER)

19:57 Plug your ears and join in

THE CHAAAAAMPIOOOOOOOOOOOONS!!!!!!

 

19:56 Go West

Go West is playing and that means Napoli and Barcelona are walking out at the Stadio Maradona.

19:46 Kvara

 

19:43 POLL

 

19:39 Marek Hamsik comments

 

19:34 Xavi Hernandez comments

“We are in the Champions League Round of 16, I am very happy that after two years we are back here. Now we have high expectations and ambitions to reach the quarter-final,” Xavi told Sky Sport Italia.

“We have already been in this stadium, we know it is a special arena for the name it carries, the way the Napoli fans cheer on their team. It will be a difficult match, at the top level you have to expect from the Champions League.

“Napoli are not going through their best period of form, but they remain a great team.

“This is the ideal opportunity for us to prove that we have the quality to compete at this level.”

19:26 Mauro Meluso comments

 

19:24 Understatement

 

19:15 In other news

Italy international Jorginho is on the bench for Arsenal against FC Porto.

 

19:14 We feel old

 

19:06 Calzona comments

 

18:57 POLL

 

18:55 Line-ups

 

18:53 Napoli vs. Barcelona line-ups

Napoli: Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Juan Jesus, Olivera; Anguissa, Lobotka, Cajuste; Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Koundé, Ronald Araújo, Íñigo Martínez, Joao Cancelo; Gündogan, Christensen, F de Jong; Lamine Yamal, Lewandowski, Pedri

18:51 Napoli change

Mathias Olivera starts at left-back, not Mario Rui

18:50 Barcelona XI

 

18:44 Barcelona arrive

Well, they arrived two hours ago… Can’t take risks with the traffic in Naples.

 

18:37 Napoli team news

We’re hearing Jens Cajuste starts rather than Hamed Junior Traore. Juan Jesus in defence.

18:35 And now we’re hungry

 

18:27 Not a great record to have

 

18:26 POLL

 

18:24 Getting ready

 

Join us for all the build-up and action as it happens from the Champions League Round of 16, as new coach Francesco Calzona makes his debut on the Napoli bench against Barcelona.

It kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona at 20.00 GMT.

The second leg will be at Camp Nou on March 12.

While the Partenopei have never beaten Barcelona in four previous meetings, they did draw 1-1 twice, losing 3-1 away in 2020 and 4-2 at home in February 2022.

Calzona becomes Napoli’s third coach of the campaign after Rudi Garcia was fired on November 14, as Walter Mazzarri was sacked on Monday.

Byfbadmin

One thought on “Champions League Liveblog: Napoli vs. Barcelona”

  1. Why do you continue to ignore the voice of the people? We will not be silenced! A LIVEBLOG DESERVES A LIVE COMMENT SECTION
    BRING IT BACK!

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