The management of Napoli on Monday dismissed Walter Mazzarri, who was replaced by Francesco Calzona, who previously worked for the team as an assistant. The 55-year-old coach received permission from the Slovak federation to lead the Italian champion at the same time as the national team until the end of the season.
And he immediately scored a valuable draw.
However, an even more valuable result is taken by Porto, who didn’t let Arsenal get away with anything and go into the rematch with a slight advantage.
Arsenal entered the duel as a big favorite, and even though they held the ball more throughout the match, the home side were more dangerous. Later hero Galeno got the best chance of the first half in the 22nd minute, but he only hit the bar with the first shot and sent the subsequent shot wide.
The guests in the fight between the currently third teams of their home competitions did not shoot between the posts even once during the whole match. When it looked like the teams would go into the second leg amicably goalless, he sent a technical attempt from outside the box to Galeno’s back post in the fourth minute of regulation and curled the ball almost perfectly.
The 26-year-old Brazilian midfielder confirmed his position as the team’s top scorer with his fifth goal in this season’s Champions League. At the same time, he reached the top of the Gunners table and, thanks to four assists, he has the best balance in this year’s prestigious competition. Porto beat Arsenal at home for the third time in a row, handing them their first loss after five successive competitive victories.
During the premiere under the new coach, Napoli rather defended themselves from the beginning and did not shoot for the entire first half. Barcelona were more active from the start, but home goalkeeper Meret dealt with Yamal’s shot in the ninth minute and attempts by Lewandowski and Gündogan shortly after each other halfway through the opening act.
After an hour of play, the Spanish champion was already in the lead. Pedri passed to Lewandowski in the box and the 35-year-old Polish gunner aimed exactly at the post on the ground. He already has 93 goals in the Champions League, bettered only by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Lewandowski confirmed his form and scored in his fourth consecutive competitive game. The 35-year-old forward also became Barcelona’s oldest goalscorer in the knockout stages of the Champions League, surpassing Messi in this statistic.
Polish striker Robert Lewandowski (centre) in the match between Barcelona and Napoli.
But the Catalans did not keep the lead. Napoli added after conceding a goal and equalized a quarter of an hour before the end. After a pass from Anguissa, gunner Osimhen forcefully pushed past Martínez in the box to finish and beat Ter Stegen with ease. The guests complained in vain about the alleged offensive foul. The 25-year-old Nigerian scored a goal to celebrate his return to the Napoli lineup, for which he played for the first time since the end of December due to participation in the African championship.
In the set-up, Gündogan aimed away from the visitors. Barcelona still has a promising result for the home rematch and is on course to knock out Napoli in the third cup double-header as well.
Today’s matches concluded the program of the opening round of 16 matches of the Champions League. The second leg of both matches will take place on March 12.
Champions League
Round of 16 21/02/2024 21:00
Goals:
90+4. Galen
Goals:
Assemblies:
Costa – João Mario, Otavio, Pepe, Wendell (90. Eustachio) – N. Gonzalez (81. Jaime), Varela – Conceição (85. Borges), Cossa, Galeno – Evanilson (85. T. Martinez).
Assemblies:
Raya – White, Saliba, Magalhães, Kiwior – Ødegaard, Rice (C), Trossard (75. Jorginho) – Saka, Havertz, Martinelli.
Substitutes:
C. Ramos – Baró, Cardoso, Namaso, Franco, Grujić, Jo. Sánchez, Zé Pedro.
Substitutes:
Hein, Ramsdale – Alnaní, Nelson, Nketiah, Nwaneri, Smith Rowe, C. Soares, Vieira, Lannin-Sweet, Heaven.
Yellow cards:
52. Conceição, 62. N. González
Yellow cards:
2. Rice, 57. Kiwior, 62. Havertz
Referee: S. Gozubuyuk (NED)
Champions League
Round of 16 21/02/2024 21:00
Goals:
75. Osimhen
Goals:
60. Lewandowski
Assemblies:
Meret – Di Lorenzo (C), Rrahmani, J. Jesus, Olivera – Anguissa, Lobotka, Cajuste (68. Traorè) – Politano (76. Raspadori), Osimhen (76. Simeone), Kvaracchelija (68. Lindström).
Assemblies:
ter Stegen (C) – Koundé, R. Araújo, I. Martinez, Cancelo – F. de Jong, Christensen (86. Romeu), Gündoğan – Yamal (80. Raphinha), Lewandowski, Pedri (86. Felix).
Substitutes:
Contini, Gollini – Natan, Östigaard, Rui, Mazzocchi.
Substitutes:
Astralaga, Peña – Fort, Casadó, Cubarsí, Guiu, F. López, Roberto, Roque.
Yellow cards:
Yellow cards:
16. F. de Jong, 75. I. Martínez, 78. Christensen
Referee: Zwayer – Lupp, Kempter (All Germany)