Fermin Lopez Double Powers Barca Comeback in Prague
Barcelona vs Slavia Prague Champions League 2026
Fermin Lopez was the hero for Barcelona on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, scoring a first-half brace to lead the Catalan giants to a 4-2 comeback victory over Slavia Prague at a freezing Fortuna Arena. The win was essential for Hansi Flick’s side as they battle to finish in the top eight of the Champions League league phase, which would secure direct qualification for the round of 16. Despite a nightmare start that saw them fall behind early, Barcelona’s superior quality in the final third eventually overwhelmed the Czech champions. The result lifts Barcelona to ninth place in the overall standings with 13 points, leaving them level with several other teams heading into the final matchday of the league phase.
The match began in shocking fashion for the visitors when Slavia Prague took the lead in the 10th minute through Vasil Kusej, who bundled the ball home following a well-worked corner. Barcelona struggled to find their rhythm in the sub-zero temperatures but finally leveled the score in the 34th minute. Following an incisive move through the middle involving Eric Garcia and Raphinha, Frenkie de Jong provided a precise pass for Fermin Lopez to fire home from a tight angle. Lopez then turned the game on its head in the 42nd minute, letting fly with a powerful strike from the edge of the box to make it 2-1. However, the lead was short-lived; just two minutes later, Robert Lewandowski inadvertently headed a Slavia corner into his own net, sending the teams into the tunnel tied at 2-2.
Barcelona reasserted their dominance in the second half, though they were briefly frustrated when a Frenkie de Jong goal was ruled out for a marginal offside against Lewandowski. The momentum shifted further when Pedri was forced off with an apparent hamstring injury on the hour mark, making way for Dani Olmo. The substitution proved inspired, as Olmo restored Barcelona’s lead only three minutes after entering the pitch, arrowing a right-footed shot into the top corner. Lewandowski then redeemed himself for his earlier own goal by sealing the victory in the 70th minute, finishing a low cross from substitute Marcus Rashford to bring his Champions League career total to 106 goals.
With this crucial three points secured, Barcelona’s destiny remains in their own hands as they prepare for their final league phase fixture against FC Copenhagen at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys next Wednesday. A victory in that match would almost certainly guarantee a top-eight finish and a bye through the playoff round. Slavia Prague, meanwhile, remains near the bottom of the table with just three points, their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages now mathematically over. While Hansi Flick will be concerned by his team’s continued vulnerability at set pieces, the clinical form of his midfielders and the milestone-setting performance of Lewandowski have kept Barcelona’s European ambitions firmly on track.
