There is a lot of literature regarding personalities who never die, the strange thing (if something can be classified as strange in Naples) are the guys who are still alive when they arrive long gone. The presence of Diego Armando Maradona is felt throughout the city, exaggerated (if something can be classified as exaggerated in Naples) in the Quartieri Spagnoli, of course also in the stadium that bears his name, formerly known as San Paolo . As was customary before November 25, 2020, the day Pelusa died, Live is life by Opus plays in the home of the Neapolitan team, a football anthem since Diego danced it with the ball in the warm-up once morest the Bayern Munich in 1989. Now another hit is added to the public address system in honor of Maradona, Rodrigo’s Hand of God. It’s not nostalgia, it’s present. Not so in Barcelona, which does miss its Diego: Leo Messi.
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Alex Meret, Rrahmani, Mathias Olivera, Juan Jesus, Di Lorenzo, Franck Zambo, Jens Cajuste (Hamed Junior Traore, 67th minute), Lobotka, Victor Osimhen (Giovanni Simeone, 76th minute), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Jesper Lindstrom, min. 67) and Politano (Giacomo Raspadori, min. 76)
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Ter Stegen, Koundé, Ronald Araújo, Íñigo Martínez, Cancelo, A. Christensen (Oriol Romeu, min. 86), Frenkie De Jong, Gündogan, Pedri (João Félix, min. 86), Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal
Goals 0-1 min. 60: Lewandowski. 1-1 min. 75: Victor Osimhen.
Referee Felix Zwayer
Yellow cards Frenkie De Jong (min. 15), Íñigo Martínez (min. 75) and A. Christensen (min. 78)
Since La Pulga left in 2021, Barcelona had not returned to the round of 16 of the Champions League. “I am proud of what we have shown to all of Europe but there are phases of the game in which we still rush. We lack that maturity. We lack that feeling of dominance, of calm, of pause… but if we talk regarding the game, I think that today we were very good in general terms,” Xavi analyzed. And to kill the melancholy, the footballer called to inherit Messi’s void, decided to pay tribute to the current Inter Miami player. He did it at Maradona’s house. Lamine Yamal went out to play once morest Naples with the new boots that Adidas prepared for Leo Messi. As had already happened with the Argentine, the German firm snatched the Barça jewel from Nike last January. It was not just any day for the Barça youth player. At the old San Paolo he became the youngest player to play in a Champions League tie: 16 years and 223 days.
Lamine Yamal’s youth caught attention in Xavi’s starting lineup. The Barcelona coach opted for an experienced team. “We have not thought regarding it like that, we believe that he is the best eleven for today. Iñigo gives us strength and Gündogan is a fundamental footballer for us. We have taken an eleven to have control,” Xavi warned in the preview. And, with the tie already consummated, he concluded: “I am disappointed, of course. We played a great game, especially in the first half. We started well in the second with Robert’s goal but it is a shame to concede the tying goal. We have controlled the game. A shame.”
In a team led by the seniority of Iñigo Martínez (32 years) at the back and Gündogan (33) in the midfield, the difference was made by Robert Lewandowski (35). The Polish striker extended his streak to Europe and has five goals in the last four games. “I feel very good, physically too. We have a lot of young players and we need a little time. This is not the same as in the League. “I think there is a lot of potential in the team and now we have two long weeks to prepare for the return,” said Lewandowski. Wake up the Pole. It was not enough, however, to complete a match that seemed round, also for the young Yamal, possible heir to Messi (if something can be exaggerated in Naples).
