Barcelona overcame an early scare to strengthen their hopes of automatic qualification for the Champions League last 16, grinding out a hard-fought 4-2 victory away at Slavia Prague. Playing on a freezing night in the Czech capital, the Spanish champions conceded early and were held 2-2 at half-time before pulling away thanks to second-half goals from Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski.

Fermín López was the standout performer in the first half, scoring twice after Vasil Kusej had bundled Slavia into a surprise lead. The hosts responded positively and drew level again when Lewandowski accidentally turned the ball into his own net. Despite missing suspended teenager Lamine Yamal, Barça’s superior quality eventually told, with Marcus Rashford making a major impact after being introduced from the bench.

Slavia threatened early when Tomáš Chorý controlled a bouncing ball and fired a half-volley narrowly over the bar. The opening goal arrived after 10 minutes as Tomáš Holes flicked on a corner and Kusej forced the ball over the line from close range in a scrappy finish.

Barcelona needed time to settle but showed greater intent when Eric García tested goalkeeper Jindřich Staněk from distance. The equaliser came in the 34th minute following a well-worked move, as Raphinha cleverly found Frenkie de Jong with a backheel on the edge of the area. De Jong slid in López, who drilled a precise finish from a tight angle past Staněk at his near post.

López struck again just before the break, giving Barcelona the lead for the first time with a superb effort from the edge of the box. Pedri was given space to turn and create the opening before López whipped his shot into the top corner. However, the visitors failed to see out the half, as Slavia capitalised on another corner, with Holes’ glancing header deflecting off Lewandowski and into the net.

Slavia struck again from a set-piece as Tomáš Holes found space at the near post to glance a header goalwards, with the ball deflecting off Robert Lewandowski and into the net. Barcelona responded after the interval by raising the tempo, and goalkeeper Jindřich Staněk was soon called into action to deny efforts from both Pedri and Fermín López. Staněk could not gather López’s follow-up, with Frenkie de Jong bundling the ball home, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Barça continued to push forward, with Raphinha firing narrowly over the bar before Marcus Rashford, introduced shortly after the hour mark, began to cause problems. The forward teed up Lewandowski for a close-range effort that Staněk managed to save, but Slavia failed to clear their lines and Dani Olmo made them pay, curling a superb strike into the net from outside the area.

Olmo had only just entered the contest after Pedri was forced off with a muscular issue, and his impact was immediate. Rashford remained influential and played a key role once more as Lewandowski finally opened his Champions League account for the season. The Manchester United loanee drove to the byline before cutting the ball back across goal, allowing Lewandowski to recover from an initial miscue and volley past Staněk to seal Barcelona’s comeback.

Barcelona fought back to claim a 4-2 victory over Slavia Prague on a bitterly cold Champions League night, with Fermín López scoring twice and second-half goals from Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski sealing the result.

The comeback win moves Barcelona up to ninth place in the standings with one match still to play, leaving them on 13 points alongside seven other teams battling for a top-eight finish and automatic qualification for the round of 16. Slavia Prague remain near the bottom of the table, sitting third from last with just three points to their name.

The Reuters Inside Track newsletter is your essential guide to the biggest events in global sport. Sign up here.

Why Have Barcelona Let in So Many Goals?

Barcelona were widely expected to handle this fixture comfortably, especially with Slavia Prague having collected only three points from their previous Champions League matches and scoring just twice in six games. However, defensive weaknesses have been a recurring issue for Hansi Flick’s side throughout the league phase, and this performance again exposed familiar problems, similar to those seen in the 3-3 draw against Club Brugge earlier in the competition.

The warning signs were evident even before Slavia opened the scoring. In the build-up to the first goal after 10 minutes, midfielder Michal Sadílek delivered a dangerous corner that was flicked on at the near post by captain Tomáš Holes. Vasil Kusej reacted quickest at the far post, forcing the ball over the line.

Defensive lapses were clear in the sequence, with Alejandro Balde failing to apply enough pressure on Holes and Frenkie de Jong losing track of Kusej inside the box. Beyond individual errors, the episode highlighted a broader issue of poor organisation and passive defending, an area Barcelona will need to address as the competition progresses.

Just two minutes after Fermín López’s double, Barcelona’s defensive vulnerabilities were once again exposed. Michal Sadílek delivered a dangerously whipped corner, which Tomáš Holes glanced on at the near post. The ball deflected off Robert Lewandowski and flew past goalkeeper Joan García, resulting in an own goal for Barça.

Pedri Injury Raises Concern

The biggest concern for Barcelona on the night was the muscle injury suffered by midfielder Pedri.

The moment he went down, clutching the back of his thigh midway through the second half, immediately suggested a recurrence of a previous muscle issue. The reaction on the pitch, as well as Pedri’s own grimace, made it clear that this could be a serious setback. Hansi Flick’s anxious expression as Pedri gingerly got to his feet and limped off underscored the worry surrounding the situation.

Pedri had already missed two Champions League matches earlier this season — the 3-3 draw against Club Brugge and the 3-0 defeat at Chelsea in November — due to muscle problems. The 23-year-old remains vital to Barcelona’s style of play, dictating tempo with his short and long passing, maintaining intensity, reading the game effectively, breaking up opposition counter-attacks, and helping the team regain possession. Losing him could impact all aspects of Barça’s midfield performance.

Final Thought

Barcelona showed resilience and determination on a freezing night in Prague, turning an early scare into a thrilling 4-2 victory. Fermín López’s first-half double set the tone, while Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski’s second-half goals sealed the comeback. Despite defensive lapses and missing key players like Lamine Yamal, Barça’s depth, skill, and tactical adjustments highlighted why they remain strong contenders in the Champions League. With this win, the team keeps its hopes alive for automatic qualification, proving once again that they can fight back under pressure.

#Barcelona #ChampionsLeague #FerminLopez #DaniOlmo #RobertLewandowski #BarcaComeback #FootballNews #SoccerUpdates #UCL #BarcaVictory #SlaviaPrague #MarcusRashford#Carrerbook#Anslation.