Barcelona Rallies for 4-2 Victory Against Slavia Prague in Champions League

Barcelona staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Slavia Prague 4-2 in the UEFA Champions League on January 21, 2024. The victory, which took place in freezing temperatures in Prague, saw Fermin Lopez score twice, with Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski adding second-half goals to secure the win. This result lifts Barcelona to ninth place in the standings, now sitting on 13 points alongside seven other teams vying for a top-eight finish and direct qualification for the round of 16.

The match started with Slavia Prague taking an early lead, shocking the visitors. In the 10th minute, a well-executed corner saw Tomas Holes flick a delivery to the far post, where Vasil Kusej forced the ball across the line under pressure from Frenkie de Jong.

Barcelona responded in the 34th minute when Lopez unleashed a sharp, angled strike from inside the box, squeezing the ball past goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek at the near post after a slight deflection off the keeper’s shoulder. Just before halftime, Lopez scored again in the 42nd minute, finding the bottom right corner from the edge of the box and putting Barcelona ahead 2-1.

However, Barcelona’s advantage was short-lived. In the 44th minute, Lewandowski accidentally deflected the ball off his shoulder into his own net while defending a corner, bringing the teams level at 2-2 as they headed into halftime.

After regrouping during the break, Barcelona dominated the second half. Despite several missed opportunities from Raphinha, Pedri, and Lopez, the breakthrough came from substitute Olmo in the 64th minute. He unleashed a stunning strike from the edge of the box, sending the ball into the top corner and restoring Barcelona’s lead.

Lewandowski redeemed himself in the 70th minute, sealing the victory for Barcelona. Following a blistering run down the left flank by Marcus Rashford, Lewandowski managed to poke the ball past Stanek after initially struggling to control the cross.

Lopez reflected on the challenging conditions post-match, stating, “We knew it would be a difficult match with the cold weather. They put a lot of pressure on us, it was tough… my feet and hands hurt, can barely feel them… It was tough, but we managed to come back and win.” He also emphasized the importance of goal difference in their pursuit of a top-eight finish, acknowledging the difficulty of keeping a clean sheet.

With one game remaining, Barcelona’s focus will now shift to securing a strong finish in the group stage, while Slavia Prague remains in a precarious position, sitting third from bottom with just three points.