Barcelona 3 Inter Milan 3: Lewandowski TWICE rescues Barca from Champions League KO but they need miracle to progress
ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI equalised TWICE to save Barcelona from a Champions League exit in a dramatic encounter with Inter Milan.
The LaLiga side are now on the verge of crashing out at the group stage for the second year running after a dramatic 3-3 draw.
The Nou Camp was lively as Barca sought revenge over last week’s defeat at the hands of Inter.
The Catalan outift had to win to save their chances of progressing from Group C.
Edin Dzeko hit the bar for the Seria A team early on, but Mousa Dembele scored the opener when he put away Sergi Roberto’s pinpoint ball into the box.
He immediately hugged under-fire boss Xavi on the sidelines.
Nicolo Barella stunned the La Liga team in the second period as he snuck in behind centre-back Gerard Pique and buried sweetly past Marc-Andre ter Stegan.
On the hour mark, Lauro Martinez scored his first in nine games – his shot ricocheting off both posts and sneaking over the line.
Lewandowski saved the day firstly with ten minutes left to play, taking advantage of a loose ball that Inter failed to clear.
But Robin Gosens drilled in what looked like a winner with just a minute left on the clock to send Barca fans home crying.
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Up stepped Lewandowski again to head home an incredible goal to level an exhilarating match.
The task is still extremely tough for Xavi’s team – Inter need just a point from their final two group games to knock Barca out.
Manager Simone Inzaghe was sent off for encroachment at the death.
Also in Group C, Bayern conceded their first goals of the tournament but thrashed Viktoria Plzen 4-2 in the Czech Republic to go through.
Leon Goretzka bagged a brace with Sadio Mane and Thomas Muller also on the scoresheet.
Napoli sealed their knockout stage spot with a 4-2 home win against Ajax.
Hirving Lozano, Giacomo Raspadori, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – from the spot – and Victor Osimhen scored for the hosts. Davy Klaassen’s strike and Steven Bergwijn’s penalty provided Ajax’s consolations.
Ten-man Club Brugge qualified for the last 16 for the first time since the Champions League’s inception with a 0-0 draw at Atletico Madrid thanks to Simon Mignolet’s goalkeeping heroics.
Kamal Sowah saw red late on with the Belgians now the only team yet to concede in the competition.
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