Cancelo and Felix Mastermind Comeback as Barcelona Secures Victory Against Porto

Barcelona secures spot in the Champions League round of 16 with a vital 2-1 win over Porto at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium.

Despite conceding Pepe’s first-half goal, a rapid response from Joao Cancelo ignited Barcelona’s comeback.

The second half saw Barcelona’s dominance, with Joao Felix sealing the victory and positioning Xavi’s team at the top of Group H.

Raphinha tested Diogo Costa’s reflexes within the first eight minutes as Barcelona asserted dominance in possession and displayed vivacity in their attack. Despite Porto posing a counter threat in an exhilarating opening 25 minutes, Mehdi Taremi’s back-heel goal was disallowed for offside after a swift VAR check.

Spurred on by the disallowed goal, Porto increased their offensive efforts, with Galeno forcing two saves from Inaki Pena. However, Barcelona failed to heed the warnings, allowing winger Pepe to drill home from close range, giving the visitors the lead.

Joao Cancelo’s response was swift and impressive. Playing on the left, the full-back cut inside and curled a shot into the bottom corner, leveling the score just after the half-hour mark. Despite Felix and Raphinha missing opportunities, Barcelona applied pressure, with Porto’s Alan Varela’s attempt met by a smart save from Pena.

Felix hit the crossbar moments into the second half but redeemed himself by tapping in Cancelo’s cut-back, securing a deserved lead for Barcelona. Despite continued pressure, Porto struggled to mount a comeback, and Barcelona secured a comfortable victory in the second half with no further goals.”