Barcelona earned an important 4-2 win over Slavia Prague late in the Champions League group stage. They fought through subordinates night in Prague where temperatures dropped to -8 degrees Celsius (17.6 degrees Fahrenheit). This win further secured Barcelona’s position in the single-elimination tournament. Furthermore, it ensured they remained in contention for a place in the top eight at the end of the league phase.
The game developed into a classic in an unforeseen manner when Slavia Prague took the lead. Vasil Kusej opened the scoring with an early effort in the 10th minute, sending a scare through the Spanish ranks. Barcelona hit back strongly, leveling the score in the 34th minute with a powerful shot from Fermin Lopez. Lopez completed the play with a well-placed angled shot from inside the box, just getting the ball past keeper Jindrich Stanek.
A few minutes before halftime, Barcelona took control, with Lopez notching his second goal on the evening in the 42nd minute. Then a Robert Lewandowski deflection off his shoulder shifted the course of fate. This mistake then gave both squads the opportunity to enter halftime at a 2-2 deadlock.
Barcelona came out with much more energy in the second half. In the 64th minute, Dani Olmo restored the lead for the visitors, capitalizing on a well-placed cross from Marcus Rashford. Lewandowski corrected his original error in exuberant style. His goal in the 70th minute capped the victory for Barcelona, cementing their control over the match and ensuring they would walk away with an impressive victory.
This exciting match moved Barcelona up to ninth in the table with 13 points. On the other end, Slavia Prague found it difficult to get out of the basement, anchored in third from last with a mere three points. The win was crucial for FC Barcelona to keep their Champions League top-eight aspirations alive.
Fermin Lopez, for his part, looked back on the double-whammy of bad cold and tough competitive atmosphere.
“We knew it would be a difficult match with the cold weather, they’ve put a lot of pressure on us, it was tough … My feet and hands hurt, can barely feel them … It was tough, but we managed to come back and win,” – Fermin Lopez.
He acknowledged the importance of goal difference in their campaign:
“We were aware that goal difference was something important. Looking to secure a top-eight finish, we wanted to keep a clean sheet, but it was difficult. Good thing we managed to play well and got the win.” – Fermin Lopez.
