— (Reuters) In a tense 3-3 draw with Inter Milan on Wednesday, Robert Lewandowski struck twice in the last minutes to give Barcelona a point and keep their slim Champions League ambitions alive.
With two games remaining, Barcelona still has a narrow chance of moving on from their group despite facing elimination for the second straight season. This was made possible by Lewandowski’s injury-time equaliser.
To join Bayern Munich in the round of 16, Inter must defeat Viktoria Plzen at home the next week.
Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez told Movistar Plus, “It’s horrible, I think this Champions League is being very cruel to us.
We no longer have control over it. We now have to swiftly shift our emphasis to Sunday’s El Clasico (against Real Madrid), recover, and concentrate on LaLiga since the Champions League has become really challenging and challenging for us.
Barca had reached at least the round of 16 in the Champions League every season since 2001 until last season, but they now risk losing their spot in the competition and entering the Europa League for the second straight year.
Barcelona, spurred on by their supporters in a sold-out Camp Nou, got off to a good start. Raphinha was the centre of their assault, and Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana made three excellent saves from the Brazilian’s shots.
However, just like the previous week in Milan, Inter was effective on the break and came near to scoring three times in the opening period.
In the 17th minute, Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s long-range attempt was stopped by Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who also stopped Denzel Dumfries in a one-on-one counterattack situation. Edin Dzeko then thundered a close-range drive off the post.
In a move started by Raphinha on the right touchline, the Spanish side took the lead through a close-range strike by Ousmane Dembele from a Sergi Roberto cross five minutes from halftime.
But after the break, everything changed as Nicolo Barella equalised with a volley from Alessandro Bastoni’s cross after slipping past the Barcelona defence.
After 13 minutes, Inter took the lead thanks to a drive from the edge of the box by Lautaro Martinez that hit both goal posts before going in. Ter Stegen denied Inter at least twice more chances to increase their lead.
In the 82nd minute, Lewandowski scored an equaliser from a rebound as Barcelona went all-out offensive.
One minute from the end, Inter took the lead back when Robin Gosens finished off a counterattack, but three minutes later, Lewandowski’s thunderous header saved Barca, who are currently third in Group C with four points, three behind Inter and eight back of Bayern Munich.
We just cannot afford mistakes in a game like soccer, according to Xavi.
“In the Champions League, every mistake you make carries a heavy price.”
You must triumph, play strong defence, and score.
We have to play the way we did in the first half throughout the duration of the game. that force. Now that we are no longer in control, it is difficult.
Lewandowski saves Barcelona late, but an early departure beckons.
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