The Blaugranas struggled for a long time against Napoli on Thursday, in the round of 16 first leg of the Europa League, but can, on arrival, harbor regrets (1-1).
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Like an air of incongruity. Struggling in a round of 16 of the Champions League two years ago, FC Barcelona and Napoli clashed on Thursday February 17, during a discreet dam to reach the knockout stages of the Europa League. But truth be told, the spectacle on offer rather justified the feeling of downgrading surrounding these two teams. On arrival, they could not decide (1-1) in this first leg of the Europa League, despite a good second period for Barcelona.
It’s over at Camp Nou. Barça and Naples part in a draw before returning next Thursday to Italy! The Catalans deserved better! #BarçaNapoli #UEL pic.twitter.com/KIVa8Up85C
— FC Barcelona (@fcbarcelona_fra) February 17, 2022
“The Europa League is not D3”warned the mister Catalan, Xavi, this week. For their first in the competition since 2004, the Culés showed a serious face. Enterprising, the trio of neo-Catalans Traoré-Aubameyang-Torres proved to be restless but terribly clumsy. Quite the opposite of a Napoli with a rather restrictive but terribly clinical approach in counter-attack. The light also came from a good ball comeback concluded by Piotr Zielinski (29th).
The third in Serie A did not really come to play, his opener further reinforced Luciano Spalletti in this approach (four shots in total). But the building piloted by the new African champion Kalidou Koulibaly wavered as soon as the locker room returned. It took a most contentious penalty, for a light hand from Juan Jesus confirmed by the VAR, for Ferran Torres to equalize (58th).
Rather restless but inconstant in the last gesture, the Manchester City defector was the most prominent Barcelonan … until the entry of Ousmane Dembélé. In half an hour, the ex-Rennes brought all the binder that was lacking in Barça. The reaction of Camp Nou is in this equivocal sense: first booed after the episode of his true-false start, “Dembouz” was very quickly encouraged in his multiple thrusts. Insufficient, however, to move to Naples other than in bad shape next week.
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