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00:00Maradona Stadium as two former clubs of the late great number 10 Napoli and Barcelona
00:09meet in the playoff round of the UEFA Europa League. The first leg in Catalonia last week
00:15lived up to its billing with a thrilling 1-1 draw setting up a fascinating second leg here
00:21tonight. The Neapolitans won the UEFA Cup under the captaincy of Maradona in 1989 but
00:28Barcelona have never lifted the trophy and in their first European appearance outside
00:33the Champions League for 17 years they have the opportunity to complete a clean sweep
00:40of global club silverware and with the away goals no longer applicable this could be a
00:46long night with extra time and penalties a possibility and there is a huge crowd in southern
00:56Italy to watch this game and there are so many subplots and everybody here has been
01:08paying homage to Maradona before kickoff
01:26so many star names involved in this game
01:54Spalletti and Xavi two men steeped in football history
02:04and before kickoff both teams will gather together
02:15Victor Ossermann came off the bench to score a late equalizer at Cavalry on Monday and
02:20he starts tonight Fabian Ruiz also returns in midfield along with captain Lorenzo Insignia
02:26and the regular Europa League goalkeeper Alex Merritt is back between the posts there's
02:32a back four in front of him with the first leg goal scorer Piotr Zielinski playing as
02:37the number 10
02:59and there is so much young talent in that Barcelona team Insignia and Busquets two experienced
03:07men as the captain Sergei Karashev of Russia is our referee Paul van Berkel of the Netherlands
03:15is the VAR official
03:31Barcelona romp to a 4-1 victory at Valencia on Sunday Gerard Pique returns tonight ahead
03:36of Eric Garcia, Pedri replaces fellow teenager Gavi in midfield and Adama Traore will be
03:43alongside the hat-trick hero from the Mestalla Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
04:13and there is so much at stake here this evening
04:43and before kickoff both sets of players take the knee to highlight the ongoing drive for
04:57diversity and inclusivity in football and beyond
05:01and it's Barcelona who get this second leg underway 1-1 in the cap now seven days ago
05:13what will unfold here inside the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples
05:22the Argentinian number 10 really a reference point for every big club every big player
05:28and his memory will hang over this game tonight whatever happens
05:34he was looking for Aubameyang but here is Insignia
05:41Koulibaly quick to play it forward but now Barcelona will try and break it's forward
05:48to that scorer in the first leg Ferran Torres but Di Lorenzo will tidy up
05:54Romani goes back to Alex Meret the goalkeeper Luciano Spalletti a success in both Italy and
06:08Russia at club level looking to bring his talents to the south of Italy a long-awaited success for
06:18Napoli Di Lorenzo looking for Osserman who quickly crumpled to the turf under the challenge of Pique
06:30but nothing given Araujo the Uruguayan international not involved during the first leg Gerard Pique
06:43was serving a domestic ban against Valencia on Sunday but available for tonight
06:48long from Tostegan, Traore
06:56the ball slipping out of play Marco Rui another player who did not start in Catalonia
07:05Xavi knows this is a really big game for him as well
07:14it is the last realistic prospect of silverware for Barcelona this season
07:22currently 15 points behind Real Madrid in the La Liga title race finishing in the top four is of course a major target
07:32but the Europa League cannot be overlooked here is Rui
07:38Koulibaly closed down by Aubameyang, Romani, Meret having to deal with the back pass as he was closed down by de Jong
07:49Busquets, Traore managed to deliver the cross which is met by Di Lorenzo further away by
08:02Zelensky who scored Napoli's goal in the first leg Traore typical run from him
08:13the challenge comes in for Mario Rui and Napoli can clear but Fabian Ruiz has given it away to
08:19de Jong who doesn't get the free kick it's all very scrappy all very frenetic and a goal kick has been given
08:32but if Adama Traore is given any sort of room he does have the talents to do Napoli
08:39real damage down the Barcelona right-hand side
08:44Calamas, Di Lorenzo just holding his run to stay on site
08:48Osserman waiting in the center but it's claimed by Tostega
08:52now Pique playing only his second Europa League tie in his career this evening
09:08just the 128 in the Champions League
09:13Dest and the American will provide real mobility
09:18down the Barcelona right-hand side so Insigne will have to do his defensive work as well
09:28and Ferran Torres
09:34Jordi Alba, de Jong, Busquets who only came on late in the second leg de Jong
09:43and Hedri losing out
09:49but it's quickly won back by
09:52Jordi Alba and Araujo will use Tostega
09:58Barcelona have only won eight of their 28 matches on Italian soil
10:06although they have been successful in two of their previous three games
10:13they memorably lost a two-leg encounter with Roma in the Champions League when they were
10:194-1 up from the from the first leg and then lost 3-0 in the Stadio Olimpico to go out
10:26on away goals of course that can't happen here tonight but we do have the prospect of
10:34extra time and penalties if the aggregate scores are level later on in the evening as
10:40Fabian Ruiz was just called back by Ferran Torres
10:55Sergei Karashev just laying down the law
11:03Ruiz seeking out Mario Ruiz but
11:06the ball beating him into touch
11:12Araujo
11:19and Napoli with only one victory in eight previous two-leg ties against
11:24Spanish clubs that came against Valencia back in 1992 when they enjoyed a 5-1 victory in the away leg
11:33but they have won all eight previous ties in Europe after drawing the first leg away from home
11:40the cross is beyond Osserman, did it brush Jordi Alba? it did, the corner kick's been given
11:52and the pace of Osserman is such a threat
11:55Insigne will take the set-piece
12:06the height is moving forward here for Napoli
12:09plenty going on inside the penalty area and the referee just trying to keep a lid on things
12:29and it will be brought clear by Abameyang
12:42and Traore using his pace over the halfway line
12:45chugging off Romani and he's got support from Jordi Alba and what a start for Barcelona
12:52a devastating breakaway
12:59and the Neapolitans are absolutely stunned
13:14and it is 99th European tie
13:19Jordi Alba has come up with a wonderful goal, Abameyang reading the short corner with the
13:25interception, he brought Traore into the play, Napoli were drawn towards him and the left back
13:32unmarked on the right side of the penalty area and he kept his call superbly
13:43and Spalletti knows he has to try and lift his team because Barcelona lead on the night and on aggregate
13:55it's Jordi Alba's first goal in the Europa League for nearly a decade
14:06what a time to score it and what a place to score it
14:17and very quickly Barcelona have something to defend although that's not really their style but
14:25Napoli have given the ball away again and it's Abameyang once again, De Jong, Ferran Torres
14:35one back by Di Lorenzo, Elmas
14:39Araujo
14:43and Traore running into the cul-de-sac this time as Koulibaly brings the ball clear
14:49Insigne, the cross in beyond Ossermann and also Elmas and it will be a goal kick
15:03and there is plenty of adrenaline pumping out there at the moment
15:12and Xavi will be delighted with the way his team have started this game
15:26we didn't see the high press which has often been a trademark of
15:31Xavi's team at the camp now in the early stages but when they were given the opportunity
15:37they left Napoli in tatters
15:52Barcelona have won only one of their previous 11 European ties away from home in the spring
16:00now that was against Manchester United in the champions league back in 2019 but they lead here
16:07but they've only failed to score once
16:14in 10 successive European ties as Ferran Torres is fouled and it will be a free kick
16:22and Napoli still riding the punch of that goal
16:37but it took 11 seconds from Insigne taking the corner to Jordi Alba finding the back of the net
16:49now Dest, Pedri, a support from Aubameyang who had made the run down the centre but the pass
16:58never arrived this time Ossermann with the first real opportunity to
17:02use his pace and he looks to brush aside Piquet
17:08Elmas
17:13and a gap develops for him forward from Koulibaly and Zielinski but the flag was raised
17:20and Zielinski and Insigne were clearly offside
17:38but Spalletti has an early problem
17:41to
17:48Ferran Torres and the flick finding De Jong and De Jong oh what a goal
17:59Frenkie De Jong
18:04and Napoli cannot believe what is happening to them here
18:11this is Barcelona at their very very best
18:24the back header from Romani and Ferran Torres just helping the ball back into a general area
18:30it was picked up by De Jong and that was measured to perfection
18:35and a Barcelona team who have been struggling for goals in Europe
18:45are two goals up inside the first 14 minutes
18:52thumbs up and no wonder
19:06and the crowd here came to acclaim Napoli came to acclaim Maradona but it's
19:13young stars like Frenkie De Jong who have really taken the ice so far
19:24scored at the weekend against Valencia
19:28that was a close range tap in but the one he scored tonight is very very special
19:35and it's his first European goal
19:41so
20:01long from Testagen once again looking to use the pace of Traore
20:10now Pedry
20:18Jordi Alba, Aubameyang was looking to hang on the shoulder of Koulibaly but it's
20:26gathered by Meret who has had no chance with either goal so far
20:29and Barcelona a club who have found themselves in so much turmoil recently
20:49they were mid-table in La Liga when Ronald Koeman departed but this looks to be
20:54a bright new beginning on the field at least
21:06one of the old stages Jordi Alba scoring the opening goal but
21:13De Jong with a moment to remember to make it 2-0 here is Aubameyang
21:18now Jordi Alba, Pedry, Busquets, Dest well it wasn't too far away from a third
21:34and you can hear what the home crowd think of this
21:41given away again Aubameyang lets fly and it's too high but
21:48Napoli's brains are scrambled here they really are
21:53it has been a master class from Xavi's team so far
22:04and Spalletti has seen the pre-match game plan torn to shreds
22:12and his team at the moment are failing to react Elmas
22:18Barcelona have the throw in
22:31long time to go in this game and of course
22:35with no away goals if
22:39Napoli did score twice without reply we would head to extra time at the end of 90 minutes as Araujo
22:48forces the challenge from Insigne and it's a goal kick
22:56but Napoli have won only three times in 10 home games in the spring and that record
23:06does not look as though it will be improved at the moment the first goal from
23:10Jordi Alba and then the second a sumptuous chip from Frenkie De Jong and Insigne
23:17having words with the referee but
23:24Napoli
23:28have had no answer so far
23:37De Jong, Busquets, now Araujo
23:42almost one back by Insigne but the difference so far is that
23:50Barcelona are really hunting in packs when they are out of possession and when they win the ball
23:57back they quickly have the bodies to try and do something with it but Napoli are rather moving
24:01forward in ones and twos as Ferran Torres has the time to bring it down but Napoli do win it back
24:10this time Fabian Ruiz
24:15lovely footwork from Demme
24:18Fabian Ruiz is challenged by Busquets no free kick, Araujo, Ferran Torres, Pedri
24:29play continues, Aubameyang
24:31that's nicely done and Napoli may be beginning to find their feet in this game
24:44Ferran Torres with the challenge of Elmas and it will be a free kick
24:48and Elmas led a recovery for Napoli in the group stage when they
25:04eventually came through on match day six, 3-2 against Leicester to
25:09ensure that they remained in this competition and Leicester were consigned
25:12to the conference league, Ossermann, Verstegen coming out, how did he catch him?
25:22Ossermann went down
25:26and Verstegen was quick to claim that there was no touch for the free kicks being given
25:33Spalletti fairly phlegmatic, Ossermann was challenged and was it
25:44inside the area that's the claim from the Napoli striker
25:50oh and it's very very close
25:53it was a rushed challenge from Verstegen
26:04Ossermann making it very clear what he believed the outcome should be
26:12VAR have checked it
26:23and the penalty has been given
26:27Paul Van Berkel the Dutch official
26:32leading the VAR team this evening and it was a quick call to Sergei Karashev
26:39and Insigne has the opportunity to bring Napoli back into the game
26:53and it's the Neapolitan, the captain of Napoli
27:00if they lose tonight this will be his final European tie
27:09Insigne makes no mistake and Napoli are back in the game
27:23and in the stadium named after Diego Maradona
27:31this has been a match to remember already this was the penalty incident Verstegen
27:36did not really have to make the challenge it seemed he was trying to pull out of it
27:40but he caught Ossermann and then Insigne very precise with the penalty
27:45and Barcelona's lead is trimmed
28:01now Xavi side lead 3-2 on aggregate
28:07and with no away goals this match is very much alive, Koulibaly
28:16Demme, support from Mario Rui but it's given away
28:25and Bameyang pulling across to this near side
28:32Busquets, Dest, now Traore and he's still going Traore, Ferran Torres waiting for the cross
28:42De Jong challenging and it's eventually cleared by Elmas
28:56Busquets, now Pedric
29:03Dest has support from Traore
29:07and here is Traore looking for a Bameyang and it's wide
29:13now what an opportunity
29:22may just have been offside
29:26but he should have hit the target from there
29:31De Jong was appealing for handball but that was quickly waved away
29:37now it's given away by Di Lorenzo, Busquets, a Bameyang
29:44and it's off target once again but Napoli once again giving the ball away in dangerous areas
29:52Di Lorenzo presenting it to Busquets and a Bameyang had to dig out the shot
30:00and he was challenged by Romani in the act of shooting and it was sliced well wide
30:07now Maradona Stadium is a real cauldron now
30:28Barcelona have made a habit in recent weeks of conceding goals when they appear to be in
30:34control of games, here is Zielinski, Insigne, Osman, great challenge by Pique, quickly back to Stegen
30:46Jordi Alba, Ferran Torres
30:52Pedric and Ferran Torres looking to release De Jong, a Bameyang down the centre but
30:59he was quickly closed down by Fabian Ruiz and here is Koulibaly
31:08and that penalty has also brought the crowd back into the game
31:15they were quiet and at times restless following the two early goals as
31:19it's won back again by De Jong, Ferran Torres riding the challenge it's deflected
31:24and it's just wide and Napoli almost provide Barcelona with a third goal
31:32Koulibaly looking to play around the penalty area
31:36and Ferran Torres with the eventual shot deflected behind of Mario Rui
31:46and if the ball is given away to players like Busquets in that sort of position
31:55Napoli will surely pay a heavy price eventually, De Jong will take the corner
32:11and De Jong's delivery, it's flicked on and Fabian Ruiz giving it straight to a Bameyang
32:18and it's wide again, what an opportunity it was the Napoli midfielder who guided the ball
32:26onto the head of a Bameyang and the stooping header was wide and
32:33Barcelona could be out of sight in this game
32:38now Busquets and you get the feeling it won't finish 2-1
32:44Busquets given time, maybe too much time, Ferran Torres
32:50now Jordi Alba
32:53Busquets
32:59Barcelona have been given the time to pop the ball around in those sorts of areas
33:05Fabian Ruiz eventually plays it back to Madet
33:08eventually plays it back to Madet
33:13and Koulibaly, he has been loose in possession at times so far
33:20but he found Osman on this occasion but his header is straight to Busquets but
33:26Ruiz is there to win it back and so much of the Napoli midfield work so far has been trying to
33:34recover possession given away cheaply here is Ferran Torres another mazy dribble up towards
33:40the edge of the penalty area he's still going but the shot is wayward in the end
33:50elusive running there from Ferran Torres
33:55he missed a couple of really good chances to win the game in the first leg and Spalletti at the moment
34:04showing signs of exasperation with the way his team are
34:10not looking after the ball
34:14but it's been a thrilling watch for the neutral
34:21now it's been given away again Busquets finding de Jong, Busquets has stayed down, Pedri, Jordi Alba
34:35Busquets is just about back to his feet
34:40Pedri
34:43Pique
34:47and a header down from Romani will only find
34:51Traore, Busquets directing the traffic once again, Ferran Torres, Dest is forward in the wide area
35:00and it's clipped towards him by Busquets now Traore
35:05may have been a very effective combination so far down the right Dest and Traore, Pedri, de Jong
35:14and it will find Jordi Alba anyway
35:18de Jong, de Jong and Busquets are having the freedom of the pitch at the moment but
35:24Araujo was giving the ball away, Ossermann was darting in behind and Insigne eventually finds
35:29him back towards Insigne again but very quickly three Barcelona shirts around him and it's a goal kick
35:41Araujo with the loose touch and
35:45Insigne not using Ossermann initially and when he did the opportunity was
35:55a more difficult one
35:59Busquets
36:06Pique
36:10Jordi Alba, de Jong sent flying by de Lorenzo
36:15and de Jong is having the sort of game so far tonight
36:28which indicated just why Barcelona was so key to signing from Ajax
36:33Barcelona with eight attempts on goal already, Napoli have had one but they scored
36:46here is Ferran Torres on the move once again, Koulibaly with the challenge and he won the ball
36:52Insigne, Ossermann just making the move on side so Insigne goes himself up towards the edge of
36:59the penalty area and he had better options than that
37:10Koulibaly stretching out a telescopic leg to win the ball at one end and then Insigne
37:19using Ossermann as the decoy this time also had Elmas in space but
37:24for a player of his talents that's a wayward effort
37:32Jordi Alba
37:35a touch from Aubameyang, Ferran Torres, de Jong, Pedry wide open spaces on the right once again
37:44Dest
37:50now de Jong
37:55Ferran Torres, de Jong, Jordi Alba
38:06Busquets, he has rolled back the years at times tonight, Guardiola
38:14and Jordi Alba another player who is really enjoying the occasion but
38:20de Lorenzo making the challenge this time
38:24so
38:30Napoli came back late to draw on Monday in Serie A when
38:35Victor Ossermann came off the bench to score in the 87th minute to ensure that Napoli drew 1-1
38:41at Cagliari and they're currently two points behind Milan, nine games unbeaten in all competitions
38:49as Ferran Torres places his shot too close to Medet
38:56and again Napoli
39:00in their eagerness to move the ball forward find themselves heading backwards
39:19De Jong
39:30Busquets was fouled and will Barcelona regret as they did in the first leg the spurning of
39:39so many clear-cut chances they could have been three or four goals up very early on in this game
39:45Pedri and the deflection almost finds Ferran Torres but
39:50de Lorenzo makes the challenge, Almas though was quickly closed down by Jordi Alba, Germani
39:59and here is Fabian Ruiz, Ossermann stayed on side
40:07and he tumbles once again but this time Sergei Karasev tells him to get up
40:15so
40:31and Napoli made such a scintillating start to the
40:35Serie A season, ten wins and two draws before their first defeat
40:40but their previous three losses in Serie A have all come here
40:50now Kulhavali
40:53striding forward
40:57that was Araujo who leaned into him but the free kick not given
41:01Pedri, now Adama Traore this could be interesting, Ferran Torres waiting in the
41:12center, Traore checking back he's got support from Aubameyang and in the end
41:16Demme comes back to ensure that Traore went no further
41:25this was the challenge on Kulhavali at one end and Araujo seemed to get very little of the ball
41:31and then Traore chopping back into traffic and Demme was able to
41:39make the challenge but Barcelona quickly coming forward again with Dion
41:47Jordi Alba, Ferran Torres
41:54Jordi Alba again is forward, Busquets
41:57Pedri, almost found Aubameyang but Demme can find Insigne
42:08and the German has it once again, Zielinski who has been
42:11quiet in the game so far as Insigne was challenged by Traore, now Dion, Dest
42:24Dest again
42:27it's eventually Demme who comes away with the ball and Demme is often having to try and help out
42:33Mario Rui on the Napoli left-hand side when Dest and Traore are forward in tandem but Araujo has
42:41now been penalized for the pushing on Osserman
42:46and Xavi has seen the early control his team had in this game loosened
43:11no free kick there, here is Pedri
43:16and the 19 year old playing like a veteran once again
43:22Busquets
43:27and Barcelona do seem to have so many young players in the midfield area now
43:31to provide Xavi with real options, Pedri once again looking for Aubameyang
43:40and it was a hurried clearance in the end for Mario Rui
43:46so
43:55and Spalletti will
43:59be very keen to get his team in for half-time
44:05they dominated long spells in the first leg particularly in the first half but it's been
44:10a very different story here so far Dion
44:15Helmas, now Osserman, Helmas is doing his best to offer support but it's a long way from Osserman
44:24who is driven wide by Piquet and the final touch was off the Nigerian and it will be a goal kick
44:41and Spalletti is having one of those nights or rather his team is
44:55Xavi keen to see that the rotation is maintained
45:02so
45:09and we have seen Barcelona at their very best at times this evening
45:17Pedri has lost out here to Helmas
45:22Busquets not too happy that Helmas is the latest player to crumple to the turf
45:30Mario Rui
45:33and Koulibaly has support from the Kosovan Ramani
45:41Di Lorenzo
45:44in towards Osserman and that's good defending that Ayo did well to
45:53just get across and ensure that Osserman was unable to get the shot in
46:03the ball may be struck Osserman on the arm but
46:09but Ayo was able to shepherd the ball behind
46:33but everybody will be keen for a breather on and off the field after
46:39what has been a remarkable first half in so many ways
46:48Aubameyang gets the free kick
46:57Xavi has been
46:58urging his players in the past couple of moments to get the ball wide to try all right
47:07and there has been a tendency recently recently in the game for Barcelona to
47:13try and pick the eye of the needle and find the perfect pass down the center but
47:18the coach is keen for Barcelona to use their width and here is Busquets
47:23and here is Busquets
47:27and it's beyond Dest on this occasion
47:38try all right Pedric
47:43that's a loose ball from Dest here is Helmas
47:47and that's good covering from Jordi Alba because Osserman was
47:50looking to sprint in behind
48:02and the scoop there almost picking up Osserman and
48:10he is a player who has
48:14really impressed in the Europa League so far four goals in the group stage
48:17now De Jong
48:23finding Traore too late for the cross Traore though goes for goal and it's
48:29sent spilling behind by Mario Rui and it will be a corner kick for Barcelona
48:37and De Jong has run this game at times
48:39Traore did have options in sight
48:58he was quick to apologize and Spalletti
49:04looks like he's composing a fairly spicy half-time team talk
49:10De Jong with the corner, Raya was shaping for it but it's cleared by Koulibaly
49:17here is Ferran Torres, Jordi Alba it'll deflect into the path of Pique
49:27and the veteran restores Barcelona's two-goal lead
49:36the Champions League perennial
49:40comes up with a crucial goal in the Europa League
49:49and on the stroke of half-time that could be the key goal in the tie
49:55Koulibaly initially clearing the corner but Pedric quickly found Ferran Torres
50:01Jordi Alba's cross deflecting kindly into the path of Pique
50:05and the central defender finished like a striker
50:12the low shot kissing the far post
50:18Alex Meret once again helpless
50:24and Barcelona striding clear once again
50:28and we are into a single minute of added time at the end of a first half which
50:38will be talked about for a long long time
50:43now Insigne
50:49Mario Rui and it's behind El Mas Jordi Alba can clear
50:58and Jordi Alba and Gerard Pique two players steeped in Barcelona legend
51:09have both come up with goals here this evening
51:19and that is half-time and what a first half we have had
51:23non-stop entertainment but the home crowd not happy because Barcelona sprung into a two-goal lead
51:33Insigne's penalty gave Napoli hope but Gerard Pique on the stroke of half-time has put Barcelona
51:40back in control once again at half-time it is Napoli 1 Barcelona 3
51:52foreign