FC Barcelona only needed one point to validate their ticket to the round of 16 but Shakhtar Donetsk took advantage of the lackluster Catalan performance to win (1-0) and relaunch themselves in Group H.
Xavi’s men are still first with nine points but are now under threat from FC Porto who, with six points, can get back on track if they beat Antwerp (0 points) at 9:00 p.m. Donetsk with six points is also a candidate for qualification.
His center forward Sikan punished Barça’s messy first period by taking Ter Stegen from behind with an uncrossed header after a cross from Gocholeishvili, alerted on the right side by a sumptuous cross from Sudakov (40th). In the second half, despite a damaged pitch which hampered transmissions, FC Barcelona displayed more control to threaten the opposing goal. Above all, Xavi made four changes at once (58th) to dynamite the match. Three minutes later, Lewandovski and Joao failed to improve on a good cross from Yamal. It was again the young prodigy Yamal who proved dangerous with a header a few minutes later.
But the biggest thrill came from a solitary raid from Newerton, offside by a hair while he had curled his shot towards the small opposite net (87th). The Ukrainians harangued their supporters who traveled to Hamburg in Germany, where their home matches are relocated this season in C1 because of the war. Opposite, the Barcelonars had a good time claiming two penalties, in vain.
Fortunately for him, the Catalan club inherited a very affordable group, because they are not yet very convincing at the start of the season, happy to have won on the wire against Real Sociedad (1-0 ) last weekend after losing the Clasico against Real Madrid (2-1).