Sporting CP v FC Barcelona

Sporting CP v FC Barcelona
Wednesday January 20th, 2027
Estádio José Alvalade
UEFA Champions League Matchday 7

Matchday 1 - Feyenoord (H) 5-1 W

This game was the early kick off on the day the lions opened against Galatasary and I must admit I was busy watching back the U19s 2-2 draw and had missed this result totally until the small hours of Thursday morning. I actually saw the PSG result first (6-1) and was breathing a sigh of relief we don't face them again when I remembered that we do have to face Barca. This is a Barca by the way who don't have a recognised forward at present. 

Just 2 minutes gone when ex-lion Raphinha sent two defenders sliding like synchronised swimmers across the box as he swapped his body weight to the left and with his path to goal open stuck it into the bottom left hand corner from 12 yards. Golazzo from Adeyemi on 21' who curled home past the diving Ernst for 2-0 from 20 yards out. 36' Cancelo hit the left hand post from the edge of the six yard box. 

56' Raphinha made it 3-0 slotting home into the far right hand corner this time from 12 yards with two defenders on hot pursuit but to no avail. 58' The Dutch thought they had a goal back but were denied by a toe nail in the initial buildup and it was ruled out. 

76' Yamal scored from a direct free kick from 19 yards to make it 4-0. Poor from the wall who found itself like Swiss cheese with a massive hole in the middle for the ball to pass through. The Dutch finally go their goal 9 minutes from time as Steijn got on the end of a defence splitting pass to tap home from 3 yards out. 84' Final word to Jesus who flicked on Yamal's cross from 11 yards into the bottom left hand corner for 5-1.

xG 1.88 - 0.52
Total attempts 24 - 4
Shots on target 9 - 2
Big chances 3 - 2
Big chances missed 1 - 1