Europe League: Barcelona held 1-1 by Napoli, Rangers stun Dortmund

After exiting the Champions League, Barcelona are now facing a tough task just to qualify for the round of 16 in the Europa League.

In its first appearance in the second tier of Europe in almost two decades, the Catalan club were held to a 1-1 draw by Napoli at Camp Nou Stadium on Thursday in the first leg of one of eight matches between third-placed Champions League winners. teams and runners-up of Europa League teams.

It is the first time since 2003-04 that Barcelona have been out of the play-offs in the Champions League, winning five times.

In other matches, Scottish club Rangers stunned Borussia Dortmund 4-2 on the go, Real Betis won 3-2 at Zenit St. Petersburg. Petersburg then Sheriff beat Braga 1-0.

In the playoffs to reach the last 16 of the first Europa Conference League, PSV Eindhoven, Rapid Vienna, Midtjylland and Slavia Prague won the opening leg.

The second leg matches in both tournaments are scheduled for February 24.

Europe League

Ferran Torres saved Barcelona by taking a penalty kick by Juan Jesus in the 59th minute. The striker sent goalkeeper Alex Meret the wrong way out of the area.

Barcelona won the remaining 30 minutes but did not find the winner.

Napoli scored in a counterattack after Torres missed a chance to beat Barcelona. Eljif Elmas, on the other hand, has set Piotr Zieliński to open on the 29th. Barcelona goalkeeper Ter Stegen saved his first low effort but the Polish midfielder shot another over the roof of the net.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made his debut for Barcelona after leaving Arsenal but was blocked by Napoli’s well-planned defense.

In Dortmund, James Tavernier gave the Rangers the lead by sending the wrong goalkeeper to 38 yards after a video review confirmed that the ball had hit Dan-Axel Zagadou’s hand. Alfredo Morelos doubled the visitors’ advantage three minutes later.

Dortmund improved in the second half but Ranger held the reins. John Lundstram’s long drive lifted the lead 3-0 before England midfielder Jude Bellingham gave the athletes hope. That seemed to fade after Zagadou scored, although Raphaël Guerreiro’s goal eight minutes early meant Dortmund could still have a chance.

Dortmund American midfielder Gio Reyna replaced him after a break to play just the second game since returning from a five-month lay-off due to a hamstring injury. Reyna, 19, has been named after Giovanni van Bronckhorst, the current Rangers coach and his father’s colleague, Claudio Reyna, at the Scottish club from 1999-2001.

ESt. In St. Petersburg, Betis seemed insensitive for the first 20 minutes. Guido Rodríguez hit the top corner of the net to put the Spanish team ahead in eight minutes. Ten minutes later, striker Willian José doubled the advantage after a single effort.

Zenit then planned to come back as Artem Dzyuba reduced Zenit deficit by 25 minutes, while Malcom equalized three minutes later. Still in the first half, Andrés Guardado restored Betis, who used a defensive error.

After Sherriff’s impressive Champions League match involving Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat, the Moldovan champion opened their Europa League campaign with a home win in Braga in Tiraspol.

Sébastien Thill hit the net from the field late in the first half and Adam Traore added a second in the 83rd position as the visitors pushed for an equalizer.

European Conference League

PSV defeated Maccabi Tel-Aviv 1-0 with striker Cody Gakpo scoring the winning goal in the 11th minute.

Defender Joel Andersson scored a goal to give Midtjylland a 1-0 victory over PAOK, in the first game for the Danish club after the winter break.

Rapid Vienna beat Vitesse 2-1 after goals from Ferdy Druijf and midfielder Marco Grüll. Vienna was left with 10 players when Filip Stojkovic received his second yellow card in 20 minutes in the second half, while the visitors scored another with a goal from Loïs Openda.

Slavia thrashed Fenerbahce 3-1 in Istanbul after Murphy Dorley and Ondrej Lingr both scored in the second minute of the second half.