Barcelona maintained their perfect start in the UEFA Champions League group stages after defeating Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 on Wednesday evening.
UEFA Champions League
Result: FC Barcelona 2-1 Shakhtar Dontesk
Date: 25 October 2023
Venue: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Company
Barca manager Xavi made three changes to the side that beat Athletic Bilbao in the league, as Ronald Araujo, Marcos Alonso and Yamine Yamal, who joined Ferran Torres and Joao Felix in a front three, were all brought in while Gavi was suspended.
Blaugrana were in control of proceedings in the opening exchanges but they were well contained by Shakhtar.
However, the Spanish giants increased their tempo after 20 minutes as Joao Cancelo forced a save out of goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk with a low strike in the box.
Barca's pressure paid off shortly before the half-hour mark, as Torres broke the deadlock with a strike from a rebound after Fermin Lopez hit the post after a ball over the defence by Ilkay Gundogan. The goal was initially ruled out for offside but was given by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR).
The hosts remained on the front foot and Lopez doubled their lead nine minutes before the interval with a powerful strike that went in off the post after his run was spotted by Torres.
Shakhtar started to hold possession for longer periods towards the end of the first stanza but it was in areas that did not threaten Barca, as the Catalan giants took a 2-0 lead to the break.
The Ukrainian side started the second stanza positively, as they pressed Blaugrana high and Georgiy Sudakov eventually pulled a goal back just after the hour-mark with a first-time finish from a cross by Irakli Azarovi following a quick counter-attack.
As the game opened up, Lopez came close to restoring a two-goal cushion for Xavi's charges 21 minutes before time with a curling shot that came off the post.
Blaugrana were forced to make a change in the last 15 minutes upfront, as Felix went down injured and he was replaced by 17-year old Marc Guiu.
The game was on the balance in the dying minutes, with Shakhtar pressurizing Barca while the hosts threatened on counter-attacks but neither side could take their chances, as Blaugrana maintained their winning start with a maximum of nine points in Group H.
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