After falling out of Champions League, Barcelona now faces a difficult task just to qualify for the round of 16 in the Europa League.
In his first appearance in the second-European level competition in almost two decades, the Catalan club 1-1 from Napoli at the Camp Nou stadium on Thursday in the first leg of one of eight playoffs between the third-place finalists in the groups of the Champions League and Europa League group runners-up.
And the first time since 2003-04 that Barcelona is not in the knockout stages of the Champions, A tournament it won five times.
In the other matchups, the shock of night came in Germany as a Scotsman club Rangers stunned Borussia Dortmund 4-2.
Elsewhere, Real Betis won 3-2 at Zenit St. Petersburg and Sheriff Tiraspol beat Braga 1-0.
In the playoffs matches to reach the last 16 of the inaugural Europa Conference League, PSV Eindhoven, Rapid Vienna, Midtjylland and Slavia Prague won the opening leg.
The second-leg games in both of them competitions they are programmed for February 24.
Ferran Torres saved the draw for Barcelona converting to penalty which was awarded because of Juan Jesus’ handball in the 59th minute. The forward sent calmly goalkeeper Alex Meret the opposite way from the place.
Barcelona dominated the remaining 30 minutes but could not find a winner.
Napoli scored in counterattack after Torres wasted a chance to net for Barcelona. At the other end, Eljif Elmas set up Piotr Zielinski for the opener in on 29. Barcelona goalkeeper Ter Stegen saved his first low attempt but the Polish midfielder fired a rebound in the roof of the net.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made his first start for Barcelona after his move from Arsenal but is suffocated by a well-organized Napoli defense.
In Dortmund, James Tavernier gave Rangers the lead sending the goalkeeper the wrong way from the place in 38 after a video review confirmed on ball hit the hand of Dan-Axel Zagadou. Alfredo Morelos doubles the lead for visitors just three minutes later.
Dortmund improved in the second half but the Rangers were firmly in load. John Lundstram is long drive increased the lead 3-0 before English midfielder Jude Bellingham gave the hosts some hope.
He apparently died out after Zagadou scored his own goal although Raphael Guerreiro is at long distance to score with eight minutes left means Dortmund could still have a chance.
Dortmund’s American midfielder Gio Reyna has arrived on as a substitute after the interval a play only the second match since returning from a five month layoff caused from a hamstring injury.
The 19-year-old Reyna is named after Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Rangers’ current coach and a teammate of his father, Claudio Reyna, at the Scottish club from 1999 to 2001.
In St. Petersburg, Betis looked ruthless in the first 20 minutes. Guido Rodríguez is gone in head corner of the net to put the Spaniards team forward in the eighth minute. Ten minutes later, forward Willian José doubled the lead after a solo attempt.
Zenit then put in scene a comeback like Artem Dzyuba reduced the deficit for Zenith in at 25 ‘, and Malcom drew another three minutes later. Yet in the first halfAndrés Guardado restored the lead for Betis, which has capitalized on a defensive error.
After Sherriff’s impressive Champions League debut which included a stunning 2-1 of Real Madrid, champion of Moldova, opened their Europa League campaign with a home victory over Braga in Tiraspol.
Sebastian Thill netted from the place in delay in the first half and Adama Traore added the second in the 83rd on a counterattack as the visitors were pushing for an equalizer.
After falling out of Champions League, Barcelona now faces a difficult task just to qualify for the round of 16 in the Europa League.
In his first appearance in the second-European level competition in almost two decades, the Catalan club 1-1 from Napoli at the Camp Nou stadium on Thursday in the first leg of one of eight playoffs between the third-place finalists in the groups of the Champions League and Europa League group runners-up.
And the first time since 2003-04 that Barcelona is not in the knockout stages of the Champions, A tournament it won five times.
In the other matchups, the shock of night came in Germany as a Scotsman club Rangers stunned Borussia Dortmund 4-2.
Elsewhere, Real Betis won 3-2 at Zenit St. Petersburg and Sheriff Tiraspol beat Braga 1-0.
In the playoffs matches to reach the last 16 of the inaugural Europa Conference League, PSV Eindhoven, Rapid Vienna, Midtjylland and Slavia Prague won the opening leg.
The second-leg games in both of them competitions they are programmed for February 24.
Ferran Torres saved the draw for Barcelona converting to penalty which was awarded because of Juan Jesus’ handball in the 59th minute. The forward sent calmly goalkeeper Alex Meret the opposite way from the place.
Barcelona dominated the remaining 30 minutes but could not find a winner.
Napoli scored in counterattack after Torres wasted a chance to net for Barcelona. At the other end, Eljif Elmas set up Piotr Zielinski for the opener in on 29. Barcelona goalkeeper Ter Stegen saved his first low attempt but the Polish midfielder fired a rebound in the roof of the net.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made his first start for Barcelona after his move from Arsenal but is suffocated by a well-organized Napoli defense.
In Dortmund, James Tavernier gave Rangers the lead sending the goalkeeper the wrong way from the place in 38 after a video review confirmed on ball hit the hand of Dan-Axel Zagadou. Alfredo Morelos doubles the lead for visitors just three minutes later.
Dortmund improved in the second half but the Rangers were firmly in load. John Lundstram is long drive increased the lead 3-0 before English midfielder Jude Bellingham gave the hosts some hope.
He apparently died out after Zagadou scored his own goal although Raphael Guerreiro is at long distance to score with eight minutes left means Dortmund could still have a chance.
Dortmund’s American midfielder Gio Reyna has arrived on as a substitute after the interval a play only the second match since returning from a five month layoff caused from a hamstring injury.
The 19-year-old Reyna is named after Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Rangers’ current coach and a teammate of his father, Claudio Reyna, at the Scottish club from 1999 to 2001.
In St. Petersburg, Betis looked ruthless in the first 20 minutes. Guido Rodríguez is gone in head corner of the net to put the Spaniards team forward in the eighth minute. Ten minutes later, forward Willian José doubled the lead after a solo attempt.
Zenit then put in scene a comeback like Artem Dzyuba reduced the deficit for Zenith in at 25 ‘, and Malcom drew another three minutes later. Yet in the first halfAndrés Guardado restored the lead for Betis, which has capitalized on a defensive error.
After Sherriff’s impressive Champions League debut which included a stunning 2-1 of Real Madrid, champion of Moldova, opened their Europa League campaign with a home victory over Braga in Tiraspol.
Sebastian Thill netted from the place in delay in the first half and Adama Traore added the second in the 83rd on a counterattack as the visitors were pushing for an equalizer.