Champions League: Napoli fights back to draw with Barcelona in dull game

Last year’s Spanish and Italian champions, who are both struggling this season, played out a poor match in which both sides were toothless and lacking attacking flair.

Napoli’s Victor Osimhen celebrates scoring vs Barcelona in the Champions league | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Napoli fought back to hold visitor Barcelona to a dour 1-1 draw in the first leg of its Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday thanks to a goal from Nigeria forward Victor Osimhen.

Last year’s Spanish and Italian champions, who are both struggling this season, played out a poor match in which both sides were toothless and lacking attacking flair.

Third in the La Liga standings, eight points behind leader Real Madrid, Barcelona dominated the first half against a disorganised Napoli which barely managed to get out of its own half.

“It is not a good result for the return leg,” Barca manager Xavi Hernandez told Movistar Plus.

“We were better in all aspects of the game, we had to control and we struggled, we weren’t effective up front, it was a summary of our season.”

Barca was playing its first Champions League knockout match in three years while Napoli was led by new coach Francesco Calzona with its Serie A title defence in tatters as it languishes ninth in the domestic standings.

Napoli was frustrated by Barca’s high pressing, missing simple passes and gifting the ball to the visitors which also looked short of ideas in possession.

Teenager Lamine Yamal, who became the youngest player to appear in the knockout phase of the Champions League at 16 years and 223 days, was also bidding to become the tournament’s youngest scorer but he sent an early effort wide and had a strike from distance saved by goalkeeper Alex Meret.

Ilkay Gundogan twice shot wide for Barca before Poland striker Lewandowski broke the deadlock in the 60th minute.

He received a pass from Pedri just inside the box and made space to unleash a bullet strike into the bottom corner of the net.

That woke Napoli up and Nigerian Osimhen, playing his first game since the Africa Cup of Nations, equalised 15 minutes later with a fine swivelling strike from inside the box to leave the tie evenly poised ahead of the return leg in Spain on March 12.

“We have a lot of work to do, but I congratulated the team for rediscovering the desire to fight,” Calzona told Amazon Prime Video Italia.

“We struggled at the start but I really liked the spirit of the side. The players gave their heart and soul to avoid defeat against a very strong opponent.”