Slavia Prague 2-4 Barcelona: Fermin Lopez struck twice in the first half before a better second half performance sealed victory for the visitors
For over an hour it was an uncomfortable night for Barcelona. Vasil Kusej’s opener for Slavia Prague with 10 minutes played was a painful blow to a side who have already given up ground at the top of La Liga and have struggled for form in Europe. A negative result meant that Barcelona would have needed an extra qualifying round to reach the playoffs.
That is, leaving aside the humiliation and the blow to the morale that would come from failing to beat a side who have only managed three draws and three losses in the Champions League this season and were eliminated with a game to spare after their eventual defeat on the night.
Fermin Lopez struck twice in the space of eight minutes to turn the game around but Robert Lewandowski inadvertently turned the ball into his own net to send Slavia into the break level and high on confidence.
It wasn’t until mid-second half when Dani Olmo scored that things brightened up in a foggy, chilly night in Prague, before Lewandowski amended for earlier errors by beating Slavia goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek to the ball and toe-poking it beyond the latter, after good work by Marcus Rashford to put the cross in.
Slavia were positive on the ball, perhaps playing with the awareness and added motivation that a loss would see them exit the competition with a game to spare, and began to threaten Barcelona from the very start. Tomas Chory sent a half-volley just over the bar in defiance of the Blaugrana colours before Kusej bundled the ball over the line, after Tomas Holes had flicked the ball on to the back post following a corner kick.
Barcelona were patient in possession and always seemed likely to get the equaliser. When it came it was smooth. Eric Garcia, Raphinha and Frenkie De Jong combined with beautiful, fluid passing outside the box before the Dutchman sent Lopez through the Slavia backline to finish from an acute angle, although Slavia goalkeeper Stanek will be kicking himself that he didn’t do better at his near post.
Then it was Lopez again curling a shot in from the edge of the D to send Barcelona ahead, before running off to the sideline to receive appreciation from his manager. Parity was restored after Lewandowski could not react fast enough to prevent Stepan Chaloupek’s header from a corner from bouncing off his shoulder and beyond goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
Barcelona were far more dominant and dangerous in the second half. Pedri tested Stanek and so did Lopez. Lewandowski struck on the rebound after the latter’s shot and it was saved again by Stanek, before De Jong arrived to pass it in but Lewandowski had been offside earlier.
Olmo and Rashford were sent on as Barcelona found another gear to click into, and both men proved inspirational. The Spaniard curled into the top right corner from the edge of the box to give Hansi Flick’s side the lead, before Rashford sent a square pass into the box for Lewandowski to amend earlier errors.
