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Barca beat Napoli to make Champions League quarters return

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Barcelona survived a nervy second half to beat Napoli 3-1 on Tuesday and reach the Champions League quarter-finals 4-2 on aggregate.

Xavi Hernandez’s side came flying out of the blocks with goals from Fermin Lopez and Joao Cancelo but after Amir Rrahmani pulled one back, the Catalans started to sweat.

Italian champions Napoli, who salvaged a 1-1 draw in the last-16 first leg, were finally beaten when Robert Lewandowski swept home from close range.

It is the first time four-time winners Barcelona have reached the last eight of the competition since 2020, and they did so without injured midfield trio Pedri, Gavi and Frenkie de Jong.

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Coach Xavi Hernandez said he was leaving at the end of the season in January and his team has gone on a run of nine games without defeat after that decision.

Teenage stars Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi have been key in that run, and both excelled against Napoli on a night that offered some relief to Barcelona amid a bleak season.

Xavi demanded the fans turn their temporary Olympic Stadium home on the city’s Montjuic hill into a pressure cooker, and they duly obliged. Over 50,000 spectators marked the club’s largest attendance this season.

Francesco Calzona’s Napoli wilted as the Spanish champions came out of the blocks flying.

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Electric 16-year-old winger Yamal made strong inroads down the right and curled over in the opening stages.

The best chances fell to Lopez and the 20-year-old opened the scoring with his third attempt after 15 minutes.

Cancelo fed Raphinha who cut the ball back into the area for Lopez, who tucked home.

While he may lack the metronomic precision of Pedri, the midfielder provides thrust and an insatiable desire to shoot.

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Two minutes later and the Catalans doubled their lead against the shellshocked visitors, with Yamal starting the move by breaking loose in his half on the counter-attack.

The winger played in Raphinha and although the Brazilian hit the post Cancelo was running in to roll home the rebound.

Napoli battled their way back in when Matteo Politano slipped in down the right, with Ronald Araujo playing him onside.

The Italy winger crossed for Rrahmani who slotted home cleanly to pull Napoli back into the tie.

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Napoli were almost level moments later but Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made a superb save, tipping over Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s header.

The Italians started the second half strongly, with Barcelona forced back into their half, aimlessly clearing the ball.

Xavi took action by bringing on Sergi Roberto and Oriol Romeu for Lopez and Andreas Christensen, aiming to freshen up the midfield and give his team new impetus.

Raphinha and Lewandowski drew saves from Alex Meret before Yamal struck from close range, but he was offside.

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Danish winger Jesper Lindstrom headed narrowly wide for Napoli before Lewandowski settled the tie after Ilkay Gundogan and Sergi Roberto combined to set him up.

Second-half jitters showed Barcelona are far from their former glory but in Yamal, Raphinha and Cancelo in particular they have the quality to trouble any prospective quarter-final opponent.

AFP

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Alex Iwobi Spreads Holiday Cheer with Free Food Donations in East London

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Alex Iwobi, the talented footballer from Fulham and the Nigerian national team, has taken the initiative to spread joy this Christmas season.

He launched a temporary Christmas shop in east London where he is generously giving away food, including turkeys, to local residents facing financial difficulties during the holidays.

In an effort to support those in need, Iwobi opened his shop, aptly named “Alexpress”, to provide free meals to families struggling to afford their Christmas feasts. This heartwarming activity highlights the football star’s commitment to his community and showcases the power of giving back.

The initiative has attracted attention from various media outlets, including BBC Sport Africa, which visited Alexpress to witness Iwobi in action behind the counter, warmly handing out food items to grateful locals.

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Through this inspiring act of kindness, Iwobi is not only providing essential groceries but also fostering a strong sense of community among residents. His actions serve as a reminder of the importance of compassion and support during the festive season.

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Osimhen fires brace in Galatasaray away win

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Victor Osimhen scored twice as Galatasaray thrashed Kayserispor 5-1 in their Turkish Super Lig clash on Sunday.

Osimhen gave Okan Buruk’s side the lead from the penalty spot in the fourth minute.

The 25-year-old netted his side’s fourth goal of the day 19 minutes from time.

The powerful striker has now scored 12 goals and provided five assists across all competitions for the Yellow and Reds this season.

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Baris Yilmaz (brace) and Yunus Akgun were the other goal scorers for Galatasaray in the game.

Galatasaray remain top of the standings with 44 points from 16 games.

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Liverpool thrash Tottenham in nine-goal thriller

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Liverpool swept four points clear at the top of the Premier League as Mohamed Salah’s masterclass inspired a memorable 6-3 rout of Tottenham on Sunday.

Salah delivered a sublime performance featuring two goals and a pair of assists as Arne Slot’s side ran riot in north London.

Liverpool took advantage of second-placed Chelsea’s 0-0 draw at Everton earlier in the day to cement their status as title favourites heading into the Christmas period.

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