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UCL: Barca still underperforming but a win is a win - Porto defeated, top spot taken
Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 29.11.23. | 01:10
The Dragons had the lead but two Joaos turn it around for the hosts
Barcelona booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time in three seasons by beating Porto 2-1 in a breathless encounter at the Montjuic.
Xavi’s men were looking to arrest a recent slump in form, but after Raphinha saw an early effort saved by Diogo Costa, things started to go wrong for the Blaugrana. Porto began to look the more dangerous outfit, and moments after Mehdi Taremi’s effort was ruled out for offside, the visitors drew first blood. Stand-in Barça goalkeeper Iñaki Peña did well to deny Galeno’s first effort, but first to the rebound was Pepê to rifle home and stun the Estadio Olimpico.
The Catalan giants now urgently needed a response, and marauding wing-back João Cancelo found one within two minutes, cutting in from the left and beautifully curling into the far corner. The game had exploded into life, and João Félix and Raphinha both squandered huge chances to put the hosts ahead before the break, while Peña made an impressive save to deny Alan Varela at the other end.
Barcelona immediately signaled their intent after the restart, with Félix smashing an effort against the bar in the first minute of the second period. After twice going close, the Portuguese international finally found the target as the hour mark approached, brilliantly sliding home from Cancelo’s cutback to send the hosts in front.
Sérgio Conceição’s men had no answer for the resurgent hosts, who could’ve pulled further ahead had Raphinha, Cancelo, or Ferran Torres showed their clinical edge. Porto had lost almost all of their attacking threat and consequently failed to secure their place in the last 16. Barcelona will be there though, as they secured a ninth win from their 10 home games this season, the last six of which all arriving by a single-goal margin.
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Group stage - Matchday 5
Tuesday
Lazio - Celtic 2-0 (0-0)
/Immobile 82, 85/
Shakhtar - Antwerp 1-0 (1-0)
/Matviienko 12/
Feyenoord - Atl.Madrid 1-3 (0-1)
/Wieffer 77 - Geertruida 14 og, Hermoso 58, Gimenez 81 og/
AC Milan - Dortmund 1-3 (1-1)
/Chukwueze 37 - Reus 10 pen, Bynoe-Gittens 59, Adeyemi 69/
PSG - Newcastle 1-1 (0-1)
/Mbappe 90+8 pen - Isak 24/
Man.City - RB Leipzig 3-2 (0-2)
/Haaland 55, Foden 70, Alvarez 87 - Openda 13, 33/
Young Boys - Crvena Zvezda 2-0 (2-0)
/Nedeljkovic 8 og, Blum 29/
Barcelona - Porto 2-1 (1-1)
/Cancelo 32, Felix 57 - Pepe 30/
Wednesday
20:45: (2.80) Galatasaray (3.40) Man.Utd. (2.65)
20:45: (2.65) Sevilla (3.40) PSV (2.80)
23:00: (1.25) Bayern (7.00) Copenhagen (12.0)
23:00: (1.33) Arsenal (5.10) Lens (9.50)
23:00: (2.20) Braga (3.45) Union Berlin (3.25)
23:00: (1.90) Real Madrid (3.70) Napoli (4.40)
23:00: (2.75) Benfica (3.30) Inter (2.60)
23:00: (1.52) Sociedad (4.10) Salzburg (6.50)
***odds are subject to change***
