Barcelona scored four second-half goals to beat Copenhagen 4-1 at Camp Nou, finishing fifth and sealing direct qualification to the Champions League last 16.
Barcelona recovered from a sluggish opening to beat Copenhagen 4-1 and book a direct place in the Champions League last 16. Hansi Flick’s side trailed early and looked set for a nervous night. Instead, a ruthless second half transformed the contest at Spotify Camp Nou. The win confirmed a top-eight finish in the league phase. Copenhagen exited the competition after finishing outside the play-off places.
Copenhagen stunned the stadium inside four minutes through teenager Viktor Daðason. Mohamed Elyounoussi released him with a precise through ball from midfield. The forward finished calmly past Joan Garcia to silence the crowd. Barcelona dominated possession but lacked incision. Raphinha and Lewandowski both failed to convert promising openings.
The hosts increased the tempo but could not find an equaliser before the break. Eric Garcia struck the crossbar with a driven effort on 33 minutes. Copenhagen defended compactly and disrupted Barcelona’s rhythm. Flick’s side trailed at half time for the fifth time in this campaign. The pressure was building as the interval arrived.
Barcelona needed only three minutes after the restart to level. Lamine Yamal burst in behind and squared for Robert Lewandowski to finish from close range. The goal lifted the stadium and the players. Copenhagen struggled to cope with the pace and movement. Momentum had clearly shifted.
The turnaround was completed on the hour. Yamal cut inside and fired goalwards from the edge of the box. A heavy deflection sent the ball looping beyond Dominik Kotarski. Lewandowski then won a penalty after being clipped while shooting. Captain Raphinha converted calmly to make it 3-1.
Marcus Rashford came off the bench and sealed the result in the 85th minute. The on-loan forward curled a superb free kick beyond Kotarski. It was his fifth goal of the Champions League campaign. Copenhagen had a late effort ruled out for offside. Barcelona closed the game with confidence.
Barcelona finished with 28 shots to Copenhagen’s six. Their expected goals total reached 3.05 compared to 1.06 for the visitors. Possession exceeded 70 percent for long spells. Attendance stood at 44,609 at Camp Nou. The four goals all arrived after the break.
Yamal was central to the comeback with a goal and an assist. Lewandowski reached another Champions League landmark with his finish. Raphinha led with composure from the spot. Rashford’s impact off the bench added cutting edge. The early concession remained the only blemish.
Barcelona finished fifth in the standings on 16 points. They advance directly to the last 16 without a play-off. Possible opponents include Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle United, Monaco or Qarabag. Copenhagen ended 31st and missed out on progression. The draw for the knockout stage will take place on Friday.
