It was a duel between two teams going through a crisis of results and expectations. Napoli and Barcelona are far from the targets they set themselves in the domestic leagues, with the Neapolitans sitting in an incredible 10th place (27 points behind first place), having been crowned champions last season and the Catalans finishing third in Spain but already eight points behind. The leaders are probably Real Madrid, and they are also a long way from thinking about the possibility of retaining the title. Therefore, both teams view the Champions League as a potential 'lifeline' for a season that will be difficult to forget internally. But this Wednesday, in Naples, it was clear that the problems of the Italian and Spanish champions are deep and difficult to solve. A 1-1 draw was almost an inevitable result.
With a new coach in charge just 48 hours ago, Napoli were somewhat lost on the pitch, with a defensive and predictable attitude, handing control of the match to Barcelona – the Neapolitans introduced (as Mario Rui did not leave the bench) and Francesco Calzona would take over. The new team will train on Monday, with the Italian (who also manages the Slovak national team) replacing Walter Mazzarri, who was in turn a replacement for the fired Rudi Garcia. A clear sign that the Italian champions' season has been a disaster: they have not been able to add more than two consecutive victories since the start of the season.
Therefore, it was natural for Barcelona to be the most dangerous team on the field from the first minute. With Joao Cancelo in the starting line-up (one of the best) and Joao Felix (coming off the bench in the 85th minute), the Catalans had the only real chances to score during the first 45 minutes: Lewandowski made his debut in the 45th minute. Meret forced a fantastic save after Joao Cancelo's run; Gundogan then forced the Italian goalkeeper into another fantastic save, deflecting the German's shot from outside the penalty area into a corner kick.
Little for someone who was up against a broken opponent, but it explains how Barcelona are also far from healthy.
The second half began with Barcelona wasting another good opportunity, with another shot from outside the area by Gundogan (outside this time) that was blocked by Meret. But Barcelona is clearly a “sick” team, with many players lacking confidence, which makes football less intense and unpredictable.
Thus, in a match between two uninspiring teams, inspiring two of their “stars” was worth it. The first is Lewandowski, 35 years old, who in the 60th minute, in a patient move from the Catalan team, received a pass from Pedri on the edge of the opponent's area and opened the scoring, scoring his fifth goal in the last four matches and raising his number. To the 20 accurate shots he has already made this season.
Then Osimhen, who after 15 minutes, rolled Iñigo Martinez and tied the score again, in a move “on the edge” of the Nigerian striker, and the only one that Napoli was able to safely clear to Ter Stegen’s goal, despite “Force” last.
Melody Gross is a contributor at Brytfmonline.com, covering a wide range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is committed to delivering clear, accurate, and reader-focused reporting that helps audiences stay informed about current events and important developments. With a focus on useful information and balanced storytelling, Melody aims to present timely stories and relevant insights in a way that is accessible, engaging, and easy to understand.