Fermin Double and Super-Sub Olmo Fire Barcelona Past Slavia Prague

Barcelona survived a frantic night in Prague to claim a vital 4-2 Champions League win over Slavia, a result that keeps them firmly in the race for automatic qualification despite another uneven performance away from home.

The hosts stunned Barcelona early, capitalising on a corner as Vasil Kusej reacted quickest at the back post to bundle the ball home and ignite the Fortuna Arena. It was a reminder of Slavia’s threat from set pieces and their willingness to attack the Spanish giants without fear.

Barcelona responded with patience rather than panic, gradually asserting control through midfield. Fermin Lopez, lively from the opening exchanges, made amends for an earlier miss when he finished calmly from close range after a perfectly weighted pass from Frenkie de Jong to bring the visitors level. Eight minutes later, the young midfielder struck again, curling a superb effort from outside the area beyond Jindrich Stanek to turn the game on its head.

Just as Barcelona appeared to be cruising, Slavia struck again from another corner. A near-post flick-on caused chaos in the box and the ball ricocheted off Robert Lewandowski into his own net, sending the teams into the break level at 2-2 and leaving Barca frustrated by their continued vulnerability from set plays.

The decisive moment arrived shortly after the hour mark, and it came from the bench. Dani Olmo, on the pitch for less than three minutes, collected a loose clearance, shifted the ball onto his right foot and unleashed a thunderous strike into the top corner. It was a goal of the highest quality and one that finally knocked the wind out of Slavia.

With the hosts forced to chase the game, Barcelona found space on the counter. Marcus Rashford, another substitute, provided the final telling contribution, bursting into the box and drilling a low cross that Lewandowski converted from close range to make it 4-2 and atone for his earlier own goal.

Slavia continued to compete and showed admirable spirit, but Barcelona managed the closing stages with greater maturity, limiting the home side to speculative efforts. The underlying numbers reflected a tight contest, with Barcelona edging the expected goals battle 1.42 to 1.01, but it was their superior quality in key moments that proved decisive.

The win lifts Barcelona into ninth place in the league phase, level on points with several rivals, and leaves qualification firmly within reach. Victory at home against Copenhagen on matchday eight would give Hansi Flick’s side a strong chance of finishing inside the top eight.

For Slavia Prague, the defeat ends their slim hopes of reaching the top 24. Despite flashes of quality and a brave approach, their winless campaign continues, and they will now play for pride in their final fixture.