Napoli 2-4 Barcelona (3-5 agg): Aubameyang scores in vital victory for Xavi’s side in Europa League

SSC Napoli v FC Barcelona: Knockout Round Play-Offs Leg Two - UEFA Europa League
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Marc Mayo24 February 2022

Barcelona secured their place in the last-16 of the Europa League in convincing fashion with a 4-2 win at Napoli.

Players of both sides stood together before the match behind a ‘Stop War’ banner in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

With the tie level at 1-1 after the first leg, it took only eight minutes for Barcelona to lead in Italy after Jordi Alba finished a blistering counter-attack created by Adama Traore and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Frenkie de Jong helped himself to the second when given the freedom of Campania to stroll forward and pick out a fantastic top-corner finish from 25 yards out.

It looked as if Barcelona could pile on the goals and kill the tie there and then, yet Marc-Andre ter Stegen let Napoli back into the tie with an over-committed foul on Victor Osimhen on the edge of the area.

VAR confirmed the penalty decision and Lorenzo Insigne, on what would prove to be his last European outing with Napoli, slotted in the spot-kick to make it 2-1 on the night.

Aubameyang, Traore and Ferran Torres all failed to make some major chances pay for Barcelona but their blushes were spared by a superbly accurate finish from Gerard Pique on the verge of half-time, as the veteran defender controlled a recycled corner and found the far corner.

Napoli rarely looked like delivering a huge European comeback as the second-half began and their opponents duly sealed their place in the last-16 with a clinical finish from Aubameyang.

Matteo Politano grabbed a late consolation but Napoli drifted out of the competition without much of a fightback to speak of.

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