MANCHESTER CITY forgotten man Joao Cancelo helped put Barca into the quarter-finals.
The Portuguese, on loan from City for the season after falling out with Pep Guardiola, struck after 20-year-old Fermin Lopez had broken the deadlock.
Napoli hit back through Amir Rrahmani and had chances to take the game to extra time.
But they could not take them and the game was up when Robert Lewandowski hit his 19th goal of the season late on.
Barca were worth their win but did not look a patch on their great sides of yesteryear – giving little reason for other teams to fear Xavi’s men in the next round.
They raced into a two-goal lead inside the first 17 minutes, though, that threatened to kill the tie off altogether.
First, Cancelo fed Raphinha down the left and the ex-Leeds man picked out youngster Lopez – who was on loan in the third tier of Spanish football last season – to find the corner.
Two minutes later, it was 2-0 when Raphinha’s shot crashed against the post and there was Cancelo to fire home the rebound.
But the visitors reduced the arrears on the half-hour through Kosovan defender Rrahmani who swept in Matteo Politano’s fine cutback.
Francesco Calzona’s men pushed for another with sub Jesper Lindstrom somehow heading wide with ten minutes to go.
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And they paid for their wastefulness.
Because three minutes later, sub Sergi Roberto exchanged passes with Ilkay Gundoagan before teeing up veteran sharpshooter Lewandowski.
Still Napoli had opportunities.
Mathias Olivera hit the bar and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia drilled just wide but Barca were relatively comfortable.
Here’s how the drama unfolded at the Barcelona Olympic Stadium…
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
