Comeback win over Slavia Prague leaves Catalans on the brink of top-eight finish.
Barcelona kept their hopes of a direct Champions League knockout spot alive with a dramatic, injury-hampered 4-2 comeback victory away to Slavia Prague.
The Spanish giants faced early adversity, falling behind within 10 minutes when Slavia striker Vasil Kusej bundled in a corner. Without the suspended young star Lamine Yamal, Barcelona struggled initially but fought their way back into the contest.
The turnaround was spearheaded by midfielder Fermin Lopez. He first equalized by slamming home at the near post after a clever pass from Frenkie de Jong, capitalizing on a goalkeeping error. Just minutes later, Lopez struck again, curling a brilliant 25-yard effort into the corner to give Barcelona the lead.
The momentum swung back before halftime, however, as veteran striker Robert Lewandowski scored an unfortunate own goal from a corner, leveling the score and infuriating manager Hansi Flick. The setbacks continued after the break when talismanic midfielder Pedri was forced off with a concerning hamstring injury.
Yet, it was Pedri’s replacement who provided the decisive moment. Dani Olmo collected the ball on the edge of the box and unleashed an unstoppable curler into the top corner to restore Barcelona’s lead. Lewandowski then made amends for his own goal, tapping in a rebound for his first Champions League goal of the season—the 106th of his career in the competition—to seal the points.
The vital win lifts Barcelona to ninth in the league phase standings with 13 points. With Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United—the two teams directly above them—set to face each other next week, Barcelona’s fate is in their own hands: a victory by a sufficient margin in their final match would see them leapfrog into the coveted top eight and secure automatic qualification for the last 16.
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