Unbelievable. Amazing. Astonishing. It's hard to frankly put into words the excitement of this match from the beginning of the game to the final whistle. Through all the setbacks, trials and tribulations this season has been for Barcelona, the victory over Napoli is evermore sweet.
Match Recap
Barcelona started this match with an attitude that hadn't been seen for months this season. The possession and control were firmly in Barça's grasp, not only the possession but also the missing penetration into the final third was fully unlocked, which Napoli could not handle in the first half.
The Blaugrana would get on the scoresheet early in the match, following a great passing sequence between Cancelo and Raphinha, ending off in a Lewandowski dummy that slid perfectly into Fermín, slotting the ball into the bottom corner.
Barça was not done yet. Two minutes after Fermín scored, Yamal would flick the ball over Lobotka and start a lightning-quick counter-attack. Yamal would send the ball to Raphinha, who cut inside and took a shot that hit the post. Cancelo would follow up right behind to score the rebound.
The team would be in high momentum, but would soon concede a goal to Napoli. Politano pulled a great pass back into the box from the byline of the Barça sideline boundary that would reach Rrahmani who shot the ball first time into the bottom left corner.
From the goal onwards to the beginning interval of the second half, Barça looked fragile. Napoli had the most dangerous opportunities that were taken by Di Lorenzo, who forced a great save by Ter Stegen and Kvaratskhelia, whose shot went inches away from the near post.
However, for the last 30 to 40 minutes of the match, Barça was relentless in their pursuit of a third goal, exposing the open Napoli defence. Multiple noble attempts by Gündoğan, Lewandowski and Raphinha tested the Napoli keeper.
But it was only until the 83rd minute that Barça would find the killer blow. An unlikely hero in Roberto came off the bench, facilitating a great interchange between Cancelo and Gündoğan, capping off the play with a side pass to Lewandowski, who easily placed the ball in the net.
Napoli would attempt the improbable comeback with a headed attempt that hit the crossbar, and yet another inch close shot from Kvaratskhelia following a Romeu error in the Barça box. But it was too little too late, as Barcelona emerged victorious with singing and chanting that followed from the packed Olympic Stadium.
Quarter-final Clashes
With Barcelona booking their place in the next stage of the Champions League, the celebrations of finally returning to the elite eight will certainly be high, but one that will eventually be dialled down. After all, the Champions League quarter-final draw will be held on Friday, March 15th, where both Barcelona's opponent and potential bracket will be revealed.
In this stage of the competition there are no rules that dictate which teams match up and considering the past failures in the Champions League to big clubs, the team requires a complete overlooking of the struggles, but focussing on maintaining their current form.
Potential exciting matchups include the passing of the torch tie against Manchester City, the battle for revenge against Bayern Munich, a clash between two star-studded young teams in Arsenal, a matchup against Mbappé's PSG, and even an El Clásico tie facing rivals Real Madrid.
Regardless of what matchup Barça is inevitably drawn to, they will have a mighty task to hurdle. There are no weak teams at this stage of the competition, and any mistakes can be lethal.
But if the team can find consistency throughout the upcoming La Liga matches, building on this great performance against Napoli, and with the likely return of midfield maestro Frenkie De Jong, Barça has a great opportunity to stun the competition's best teams in a great tournament run!