UEFA Europa League: Barcelona hammer Napoli, Rangers send Borussia Dortmund packing

Gerard Pique was delighted with his Barcelona’s performance after what was perhaps their best display since Xavi Hernandez took over as coach in November.

Barcelona football team celebrate after scoring against Napoli in their UEFA Europa League match. (Photo: Reuters)

Barcelona hit top gear to trounce Napoli 4-2 away from home on Thursday (February 24) and sail into the last 16 of the Europa League 5-3 on aggregate. Jordi Alba gave Barca the lead in the eighth minute of the knockout stage playoff second leg with a rare strike on his weaker right foot and Frenkie de Jong put the Catalans further ahead with a curling shot after being teed up by a sumptuous backheel from Ferran Torres.

Lorenzo Insigne’s penalty gave Napoli hope but Gerard Pique restored Barca’s two-goal advantage right before halftime. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang added a fourth in the second period, netting for the fourth time in two games after hitting a hat-trick at Valencia in LaLiga on Sunday. Matteo Politano reduced the deficit to two goals in the 87th.

Pique makes it 3-1 on the night for Barcelona #UEL https://t.co/7MW5b9Qnt0 pic.twitter.com/V6zkLJzZDw

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) February 24, 2022

Pique was delighted with his side’s performance after what was perhaps their best display since Xavi Hernandez took over as coach in November. “For a while the team have not been competing at the level a club like Barca should but we have returned to our roots, to the way we should always play, the way we perhaps had stopped playing,” he told reporters.

“This performance is a message for us and for everyone else. Little by little, we’re coming back.”

Rangers move into last 16

Rangers joined Barca in the last 16 by pulling of a spirited 2-2 draw at home to Borussia Dortmund in front of a raucous Ibrox crowd to progress 6-2 on aggregate. James Tavernier got Rangers off to an ideal start by scoring a penalty midway through the first half but goals from Jude Bellingham and Donyell Malen before halftime put Dortmund in front on the night.

One more Dortmund goal would have forced extra-time but Rangers captain Tavernier put the Scottish champions back in control with his second goal of the night. “It is a big moment for the club, we can make a lot of people proud as it was a difficult game again,” Rangers coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst said. “The last 16 is only top teams, we wait for them and we look forward to the draw.”

Real Betis also advanced by holding Zenit St Petersburg to a goalless draw at home and winning 3-2 on aggregate. The Russians were denied a late goal that would have sent the game into extra-time as a VAR review spotted a foul in the build up to Dmitri Chistyakov's strike.

Portuguese side Braga staged a stunning turnaround to beat Sheriff Tiraspol 2-0 at home and level the tie 2-2, forcing extra-time and a penalty shootout they won 3-2. Earlier, six-times winners Sevilla were made to sweat to reach the last 16 as they were beaten 1-0 at Dinamo Zagreb and had to survive a nervy finale with 10 men before progressing 3-2 on aggregate.

Porto also had to scrap deep into added time to earn their place in the last 16, drawing 2-2 at Lazio to squeeze through 4-3 on aggregate. RB Leipzig won 3-1 at Real Sociedad to progress 5-3 on aggregate while Atalanta hammered Olympiakos 3-0 to complete a 5-1 aggregate win.

(with Reuters inputs)