Barcelona kept their hopes of an automatic qualification for the Champions League last 16 alive with a hard-fought 4-2 victory over Slavia Prague on Wednesday night. Young midfielder Fermín López was the standout performer, netting a first-half brace that helped the Spanish giants overcome a resilient Czech side in temperatures plummeting to -6C.
Okay News reports that the hosts stunned Barcelona early on when Vasil Kušej bundled the ball home from close range in the 10th minute following a corner. However, López responded with authority, equalizing in the 34th minute with a fierce near-post strike before curling in a second just eight minutes later to give the visitors the lead. The drama continued before the break as Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski inadvertently deflected a corner into his own net, sending the teams into halftime level at 2-2.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick’s second-half substitutions proved decisive in breaking the deadlock. Without the suspended Lamine Yamal, Flick introduced Dani Olmo and Marcus Rashford just after the hour mark. Olmo made an immediate impact, scoring a stunning 18-yard strike into the top corner in the 63rd minute—just three minutes after entering the pitch.
Lewandowski later redeemed his earlier error by sealing the victory in the 70th minute. The Polish striker hooked in Barcelona’s fourth goal after connecting with a pass from fellow substitute Marcus Rashford. The result officially eliminates Slavia Prague from the competition, leaving them with just three points from seven matches.
The victory moves the five-time European champions up to ninth in the league phase table. To secure a top-eight finish and bypass the February playoffs, Barcelona must defeat Copenhagen at home next Wednesday and rely on favorable results elsewhere. The win keeps the club’s quadruple ambitions on track, adding to their recent Spanish Super Cup triumph and current leadership in La Liga.
