Lamine Yamal proved once again why he is the face of the new Barcelona era. The 18-year-old superstar scored twice to lead a second-half comeback at the Camp Nou, securing Barça’s direct qualification for the Champions League Round of 16.
Hansi Flick’s men started the night under pressure, risking a place in the dreaded playoff round. The tension rose in the 4th minute when Copenhagen stunned the home crowd as Dadason exploited a defensive gap to beat Joan García for an early lead.
The Yamal Show at the Camp Nou
After a frustrating first half, Barcelona returned from the break with a different intensity. The equalizer came within sixty seconds: Lamine Yamal orchestrated a brilliant one-two with Robert Lewandowski before slotting the ball home.
The “Number 10” wasn’t finished. In the 59th minute, Yamal produced a trademark goal, cutting inside from the right wing and curling a beautiful strike past goalkeeper Kotarski to turn the game around.
Raphinha and Rashford Seal the Rout
The momentum stayed with the Blaugrana. In the 68th minute, Raphinha converted a clinical penalty, sending the keeper the wrong way. To put the icing on the cake, Marcus Rashford added a fourth, showing his poaching instincts to finalize the 4-1 scoreline.
Copenhagen thought they had grabbed a consolation goal through Gabriel Pereira, but VAR intervened to disallow the strike for offside, ending the Danish side’s European journey.
Final Standings: Barcelona Clinch Top 8 Spot
With this victory, Barcelona officially secured direct qualification for the knockout stages, finishing 5th in the overall table with 16 points.
- Barcelona: 5th Place (Directly to Round of 16)
- Copenhagen: 31st Place (Eliminated)
Wilson Gaspar is a football analyst covering the UEFA Champions League, focusing on match previews, tactical reviews, and the performance of Europe’s top clubs throughout the competition.
