The European League .. A disappointing result for Barcelona and a humiliation for Borussia Dortmund
Italy's Napoli snatched a valuable 1-1 draw from Barcelona on Thursday in the qualifying play-offs for the first leg of the European League "European League" football competition, which witnessed a big fall of Borussia Dortmund at home to Rangers of Scotland 2-4.
In the first match at the "Camp Nou" and in front of about 73,000 spectators, Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez decided to include his Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as a key player for the first time since he moved to him from Arsenal last month during the winter transfer period in the center of the attack, to form a fiery trio With other arrivals in the recent period as well, Ferran Torres and Adama Traore.
In turn, Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti played with an attacking squad consisting of Lorenzo Insigne, Nigerian Victor Osimhen and Poland's Peter Zelensky.
The Catalan team controlled the ball, but without danger, except for a long shot by Aubameyang that passed to the side of the post (1-5).
Napoli responded through a forward pass by Zelinsky towards Osimhen, who was alone with German goalkeeper Mark Andre ter Stegen, but the latter blocked his attempt (22).
Then the southern Italian team opened the scoring when the Albanian Jeff Al-Mas manipulated Jordi Alba on the right side and passed a cross shot by Zelensky with his left, which was saved by Ter Stegen without controlling it to bounce back to the Polish, who shot into the net (29).
Barcelona pressed at the beginning of the second half in order to equalize and had what he wanted when the referee awarded him a penalty kick after a handball by Brazilian Joan Jesus, Ferran Torres (58).
Despite the Catalan team's advantage in the last half hour, it did not pose a real threat to Napoli's goal, except for a superb scissor kick to Dutch striker Luke de Jong outside the three blocks in the last seconds of the match.
Barcelona coach Xavi commented on the result, saying, "We did not deserve this bad result. The way the match went was enough to achieve a comfortable victory."
Veteran Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said, "We played a big match against a high-ranking opponent. The opponent reached the goal once or twice and scored a goal, but we created a lot of chances without being able to translate them."
"Of course, the result is not enough. We were seeking to achieve a greater advantage before the return match."
Dortmund fall at home by four
And at the "Signal Iduna Park", Borussia Dortmund suffered a humiliating defeat against the Scottish Rangers 2-4.
Borussia Dortmund's top scorer, Erling Haaland, continued to be absent due to injury, as did Belgian international defender Thomas Meunier, while Emre Can was absent to stop him.
Rangers scored two goals in the first 4 minutes through a penalty kick by James Tavernier after a handball by Dortmund defender Dan Axel Zagado (37), before adding the second Colombian Alfredo Morelos after a corner kick (41).
It was only 3 minutes into the second half that the Englishman John Lundstram scored the third goal for the visitors with a powerful shot from outside the area.
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