SOCCER: Lopez double fires Barcelona to 4-2 comeback win at Slavia Prague

Barcelona came from behind to defeat Slavia Prague 4-2 on a freezing night in the Champions League on Wednesday. Fermin Lopez scored twice, while Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski added second-half goals to secure the win.

The victory lifts Barcelona to ninth place in the standings with one game remaining. They now have 13 points, level with seven other teams competing for a top-eight finish and direct qualification to the round of 16. Slavia Prague, meanwhile, remain third from bottom with only three points.

Slavia Takes Early Lead in Icy Conditions

On a bitterly cold evening in Prague, with temperatures dropping to minus eight degrees Celsius, Slavia stunned Barcelona with an early lead.

In the 10th minute, a well-worked corner saw Tomas Holes flick the ball from the near post to the far post. Vasil Kusej bundled the ball over the line under pressure from Frenkie de Jong, giving Slavia the lead.

Lopez Levels and Puts Barcelona Ahead

Barcelona equalized in the 34th minute through Lopez, who fired a sharp, angled shot from inside the box. The ball squeezed past goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek at the near post after a slight deflection off the Slovakian's shoulder.

Lopez then doubled his tally in the 42nd minute with a powerful strike from the edge of the box. The midfielder found the bottom right corner with precision, leaving Stanek with no chance.

Lewandowski’s Own Goal Sends Teams Into Halftime Draw

Barcelona’s lead lasted only two minutes when an unfortunate defensive error allowed Slavia to equalize. While defending a corner, Lewandowski accidentally deflected the ball off his shoulder into his own net, making it 2-2 at halftime.

Barcelona Takes Control in Second Half

After the break, Barcelona took control of the match and kept pressing Slavia’s defense. Raphinha, Pedri, and Lopez all missed good chances before substitute Dani Olmo produced a moment of magic.

In the 64th minute, Olmo hammered a powerful strike from the edge of the box into the top corner, restoring Barcelona’s lead in impressive fashion.

Lewandowski then redeemed himself by sealing the win in the 70th minute. Substitute Marcus Rashford made a strong run down the left flank and delivered a cross into the box. Although Lewandowski initially struggled to control the ball, he reacted quickly and poked it past Stanek to make it 4-2.

Lopez Reflects on the Tough Win

“We knew it would be a difficult match with the cold weather. They put a lot of pressure on us; it was tough. My feet and hands hurt; I could barely feel them. But we managed to come back and win,” Lopez told Movistar Plus.

He added, “We were aware that goal difference was important as we aim to secure a top-eight finish. We wanted to keep a clean sheet, but it was difficult. The good thing is we played well and got the win.” -Reporting by Fernando KallasEditing by Toby Davis and Clare Fallon/Reuters