It was a night of remarkable twists as Barcelona surged to an action-packed 4-2 victory over Slavia Prague in the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 group stage. Starring a blend of youthful flair and seasoned class, the Spanish giants lifted themselves from 15th to ninth in the standings, putting a ticket to the coveted last 16 within tantalizing reach. But the road to this hard-fought win was anything but smooth.
A daring Prague start and Lopez’s rapid redemption
Barcelona might have expected a straightforward contest, but Slavia Prague had other plans. The Czech visitors stunned the Camp Nou with Vasil Kusej’s bundled finish in the 10th minute—capitalizing on Barca’s shaky defense and a glaring near-miss from Fermin Lopez just moments earlier. Champions League nights, however, are made for unlikely heroes, and Lopez wasted zero time redeeming himself.
Within eight electrifying minutes, the 21-year-old Spanish midfielder flipped the script:
- First, he darted to the near post, connecting instinctively with Frenkie de Jong’s slick pass for Barca’s equalizer.
- Riding the momentum, he found ample space on the edge of Slavia’s area and curled in a sensational second, leaving the defense rooted to the spot.
Lopez’s brace revived the hosts and had Barcelona fans roaring with belief. But just when Barca seemed in control, they were dealt an unexpected blow—literally and figuratively.
Lewandowski’s mixed fortunes: an own goal, then history
Stepan Chaloupek’s flick-on from a set piece ricocheted off Robert Lewandowski, bouncing past goalie Marc-André ter Stegen for the Polish striker’s first-ever Champions League own goal. In an instant, Lewandowski was both villain and victim—a rare twist for one of the competition’s modern greats.
Barcelona’s frustration grew when De Jong’s apparent goal early in the second half was ruled out for offside against Lewandowski. But the tide turned once more with the introduction of Dani Olmo:
- Just three minutes after subbing on for the injured Pedri, Olmo sliced a delightful effort into the top-right corner, restoring the lead.
Not to be outdone, Lewandowski secured redemption in vintage fashion. Latching onto Marcus Rashford’s smart cross, he tapped in from close range for his first Champions League strike of the campaign—and his 106th in the competition overall.
Records, rarities, and Champions League trivia
For stat lovers, Lewandowski’s goal was drenched in significance. On his sixth appearance in the 2025/26 edition, he finally broke his Champions League duck for the season. At 37 years, 153 days, he became the second-oldest Champions League scorer for a Spanish club—trailing only Sergio Ramos, who netted for Sevilla at 37 years, 257 days in 2023.
He also set new benchmarks:
- Lewandowski has now scored against 39 different opponents in the Champions League, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo (38/52)—with only Lionel Messi bagging more (40 of 44).
- The own goal placed Lewandowski in an exclusive club, becoming only the 17th player to score at both ends in Champions League history—and the first ever for Barcelona. The last to do so? Sebastien Haller, for Ajax against Benfica in 2022.
Barca barely edged Slavia in the xG stakes, leading 1.42 to 1.01, with Lewandowski topping the expected goals chart at 0.59—a testament to his enduring threat.
This whirlwind victory sets up a tantalizing final group game against Copenhagen at the Camp Nou, with automatic qualification in the balance. As Hansi Flick’s squad blends the exuberance of starlets like Lopez with the longevity and drama of icons like Lewandowski, the narrative only promises more twists.