Tonight, Napoli was there for the taking. Proud champion of Italy is on its knees, as they are in ninth place in Serie A, and just released interim manager Walter Mazzarri before this important match due to bad results. Former Napoli assistant and current Slovakia boss Francesco Calzona took over but Neapolitans looked disillusioned and lost against Barcelona, who had this opportunity and needed to win. But, Victor Osimhen got in the way of Xavi and his players. The Nigerian striker made his first start of the year for the home side after helping his country reach the Africa Cup of Nations final and made an instant impact. With the only shot on target during whole 90 minutes, Napoli escaped a deserved loss and Osimhen brough in a much-needed point: Napoli – Barcelona 1-1.The Catalans will surely face a different Napoli team in the second leg on March 12th at Camp Nou and this was their opportunity to finish things in the first leg. But Xavi has issues of his own and his players failed to capitalize on Napoli’s bad form. Robert Lewandowski broke his feast and scored his first goal in the Champions League after 4 matches, 16-year-old winger Lamine Yamal became the youngest player to appear in the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League and was one of the best on the field, but that was not good for all three points as Osimhen gave Martinez the slip from the Frank Anguissa before finishing with ease as Marc-André ter Stegen went the wrong way in the 75th minute.First half was a rather dull one. It was all about Barcelona off course, but nobody expected that the hosts won’t have a single shot for the entire 45 minutes. Barca’s chances were also far and between and usually revolved around young Yamal. The 16-year-old winger had the first chance of the match, but his shot went pretty much straight at keeper Alex Meret. Napoli’s goalie rescued his team in the 23rd and 24th minute, when he saved a shot from Robert Lewandowski and just a minute later from Gundogan, who got the ball from De Jong, and made a fierce shot from distance. The second half was also a lullaby with Barca keeping the initiative, while the guests managed only one shot for the first half of the game. And then Lewandowski finally broke the deadlock in the 60th minute, after a great pass from Pedri. The Pole took a shot from nine meters, not so strong, but rather precise one, and the ball ended in the right bottom corner for the lead. But in the 75th minute, Osimhen levelled the score. Gundogan had a great opportunity to finish things in the last minute of the game, but his shot went just near the bar.UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE1/8 finalsTuesdayCopenhagen – Man.City 1-3 (1-2)/Mattsson 34 – De Bruyne 10, Silva 45+1, Foden 90+3/RB Leipzig – Real Madrid 0-1 (0-0)/Diaz 49/WednesdayPSG – Sociedad 2-0 (0-0)/Mbappe 58, Barcola 71/Lazio – Bayern 1-0 (0-0)/Immobile 69 pen/Tuesday the 20thInter – Atletico Madrid 1-0 (0-0)/Arnautovic 79/PSV – Borussia Dortmund 1-1 (0-1)/De Jong 56 pen – Malen 24/Wednesday the 21stPorto – Arsenal 1-0 (0-0)/Galeno 90+4/Napoli – Barcelona (0-0)/Osimhen 75 – Lewandowski 60/
