Napoli 1-1 Barcelona: Xavi's side held to draw as Lewandowski & Osimhen score

Game is over and the final score is Napoli 1-1 Barcelona. Here is the match report.

Match Report

Victor Osimhen cancels out Robert Lewandowski's well-taken opener as the struggling Italian champions come from behind to claim a draw... with all to play for ahead of second leg at the Nou Camp

Robert Lewandowski is back, but so is Victor Osimhen and that means crisis clubs Barcelona and Napoli will have to settle their last-16 Champions League tie in three weeks time in the second leg.

Lewandowski made it four consecutive games scoring with his 12th goal of 2024 to put Barcelona ahead on 61 minutes and it was no more than they deserved after dominating the first hour.

But it woke Napoli up, and, starting his first game of the year for the Italian champions, Osimhen majestically spun Iñigo Martinez 15 minutes from time and buried his shot past Marc Andre ter Stegen to level on the night.

It was difficult to know who was happier. Barça had the away draw but had played so poorly for most of the game Napoli had maybe taken away more than they deserved.

In the weeks leading up to the game these two teams have been competing to see whose season could implode more spectacularly but in the first half hour Barcelona played with a confidence belying their situation on an off the pitch.

Lewandowski should have scored on 21 minutes when Joao Cancelo pulled the ball back from byline to him but Meret saved it. Ilkay Gundogan followed it up with a thundering shot which Meret saved again.

The German was hugely influential in midfield as Barcelona dominated. Napoli were playing like the away team with Osimhen well policed by Martinez, while a much sharper Jules Kounde and a dominant Ronald Araujo kept Khvicha Kvaratskhelia quiet. The only negative for the first 45 minutes was the failure to score.

New Napoli coach Francesco Calzona is known not to care a great deal about having more possession but not only were his team letting Barcelona have the ball, they went in at half time have conceded seven shots and not mustered a single one themselves.

Matteo Politano headed well wide at the restart as Napoli finally had a chance. But Barcelona were soon back on top and again Meret had to save well from Gundogan.

Finally they went ahead just after the hour. It was Lewandowski’s 18th goal in all competitions this season.

Pedri found him with a clever pass inside the area and he turned and shot through Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s legs and past Meret in Napoli’s goal. Napoli had allowed Pedri to receive the ball with time and space on the edge of the area and they paid the price.

The response came on 75 minutes and from a man who was just about to be taken off. Calzona was just about to replace Osimhen but he turned Martinez and the Barça defender was still claiming in vain for a foul as the Nigerian striker celebrated having beaten Ter Stegen. It was his last kick before being replaced by Giovanni Simeone.

Suddenly the wind changed direction and started blowing strong towards Ter Stegen’s goal. Simeone had a shot blocked for a corner and Andre-Frank Anguissa crashed a header wide. Barça did manage the last chance with Gundogan shooting just wide. Xavi still hasn’t lost since saying he would quit at the end of the season. Now his team must make home advantage count on March 12 to make it into the last eight.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

3' Yamal's shot over the bar

14' CLOSE! Lewandowski’s shot wide out

16' Yellow Card! De Jong booked

48' Gundogan's shot saved by goalkeeper

60' GOAL! Napoli 0-1 Barcelona (Lewandowski)

75' GOAL! Napoli 1-1 Barcelona (Osimhen)

Line-ups

Napoli XI: Juan, Di Lorenzo, Lobotka, Politano, Rrahmani, Meret, Anguissa, M.Olivera, Osimhen, Jens Cajuste, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Subs: Mario Rui, Gollini, G.Simeone, Nikita Contini, Pasquale Mazzocchi, Giacomo Raspadori, Leo Østigård, Hamed Junior Traorè, Jesper Lindstrøm, Natan

Barcelona XI: Lewandowski, Gundogan, Ter Stegen, I. Martinez, Cancelo, Christensen, De Jong, Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Pedri, Lamine Yamal

Subs: Romeu, Roberto, Pena, Raphinha, Felix, Marc Casadó, Fermín López, Ander Astralaga, Vitor Roque, Héctor Fort, Pau Cubarsí, Marc Guiu