Barcelona had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Napoli at Camp Nou, in the first leg of their Europa League playoff fixture. Ferran Torres scored the only goal for Barcelona from the penalty spot, while Piotr Zielinski scored for Napoli.
The match in itself had a big share of history attached to it, since Diego Maradona played for both clubs during his playing days. Napoli was the place where he ascended to iconic status, leading them to European glory.
Poor finishing denies Barcelona a deserved win
By the end of the game, Barcelona had 21 shots in total. But, only 5 of them were on target. The severe lack of clinical finishing resulted in them having to play out a draw, despite having too many chances to win.
Xavi’s men were pressing the Serie A club remarkably well, and never let up on the pressure. Napoli, as a result, had to rely on the counter attack, and created a number of big chances through Victor Osimhen. However, they could not find another goal to show for themselves.
Gavi was born in June 2004 (!). Important to remember. Another great performance showing his quality & leadership. ⭐️🔵🔴 #FCB
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 17, 2022
Barcelona are not even worried with Chelsea rumours as he only wants to stay. New contract talks at final stages, €50m release clause will be removed. pic.twitter.com/azWzfs51wc
Despite scoring the penalty for a delicate handball, Ferran Torres in particular had a very poor game in front of goal. The Barcelona winger had a number of great chances to score, but was unable to find the target on any attempt. He was visibly upset with himself during full-time, but all hope is not lost.
The next leg of the fixture will be played at the Diego Maradona Stadium in Naples, and there will be no away goal rule to help either team qualify.
