PRAGUE – FC Barcelona came through a chaotic night at the Fortuna Arena, beating Slavia Praha 4-2 in the UEFA Champions League group phase. Hansi Flick’s side had to do it the hard way, falling behind early and then seeing the match level again just before the break. In the end, Barça found the extra goals to take three points that keep their knockout hopes alive.
The win moves Barcelona up to ninth on 13 points, just outside the top eight places that bring automatic qualification for the Round of 16. With several teams on the same total, every point matters heading into the final matchday.
Slavia Strike First, Then Fermín López Flips the Match
Barcelona got an early shock in the 10th minute. Slavia Praha opened the scoring through Vasil Kusej, who finished from close range after a smart corner routine created space in the six-yard box. The set piece caught Barcelona cold on a bitter evening in Prague.
After that, Barcelona settled and started to control more of the ball. The equaliser came in the 34th minute, with Fermín López drilling a tight-angle shot from inside the area. It beat Jindřich Staněk at the near post, and it looked like it might have taken a slight touch on the way through.
López wasn’t done. In the 42nd minute, he put Barcelona ahead with a brilliant finish from the edge of the box, curling the ball into the top corner and giving the keeper no chance.
Slavia, though, hit back straight away. In the 44th minute, a corner caused panic, and Robert Lewandowski turned it into his own net, sending the teams in at 2-2.
Olmo and Lewandowski Finish the Job After the Break
Barcelona came out for the second half with more purpose. They suffered a blow when Pedri went off injured, with Dani Olmo coming on in his place. Olmo needed no time to settle, and in the 63rd minute,e he restored Barcelona’s lead with a stunning strike from around 18 yards that flew into the top corner.
Lewandowski then made amends for the own goal. In the 70th minute, he reacted quickest to a precise pass (some reports credit Marcus Rashford for the assist), and hooked the ball in from close range after a friendly bounce made it sit up.
From there, Barcelona saw the game out well, keeping Slavia at arm’s length and closing out a deserved 4-2 away win.
Barcelona FC Player Statistics
| Player | Position | Goals | Assists | Key Passes | Shots | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fermín López | Midfield | 2 | 0 | – | – | Two goals, standout display |
| Dani Olmo | Midfield | 1 | 0 | – | – | Scored soon after coming on |
| Robert Lewandowski | Forward | 1 | 0 | – | – | Own goal, then scored to seal it |
| Pedri | Midfield | 0 | 0 | – | – | Went off injured |
| Team Total | – | 4 | – | – | – | Four goals across open play and set pieces |
Slavia Praha Player Statistics
| Player | Position | Goals | Assists | Key Passes | Shots | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vasil Kusej | Forward | 1 | 0 | – | – | Scored early from a corner move |
| Robert Lewandowski (OG) | – | 1 (OG) | – | – | – | Corner deflected into his own goal |
| .Team Total | – | 2 | – | – | – | Both goals came from set pieces. |
What It Means for Barcelona
This win showed Barcelona’s grit and the quality they still carry in attack, even with a Pedri injury worry and Lamine Yamal missing through suspension. Fermín López kept his good form going with two well-taken goals, while Olmo and Lewandowski delivered the telling moments after the interval.
Slavia Praha will take heart from how dangerous they looked from corners and how they stayed in the game for long spells. The fight for the Champions League top eight remains tight, and Barcelona has given itself a real chance going into the last round.
