Fermin Lopez brace hands Barca win at Slavia Prague

Fermin Lopez’s first-half brace and second-half goals by Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski earned Barcelona a 4-2 Champions League win at Slavia Prague on Wednesday. The result keeps Barca in contention for a top-eight finish in the league phase, which guarantees direct passage to the last 16. The Catalans face FC Copenhagen at home in their final league phase game next week. Barca got back to winning ways on a freezing night in Prague after Sunday’s La Liga loss at San Sebastian ended a run of 11 successive victories. Reigning Czech champions Slavia, returning from a winter break, had previously only managed three draws and two goals in the Champions League this season. But they took the lead on 10 minutes as striker Vasil Kusej forced the ball across the goal line at the far post after Tomas Holes’s glancing header from a corner. Lopez pulled Barca level in the 34th minute following a pass from skipper Frenkie de Jong that found him unmarked in the box. Lopez gave the Catalans the lead eight minutes later with a low shot that caught Slavia goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek unprepared. But Slavia drew level just before half-time as Lewandowski deflected a corner into Joan Garcia’s net. Olmo spared Barca blushes as he blasted superbly into the top corner in the 63rd minute, three minutes after replacing Pedri. And Lewandowski found the right net on 71 minutes when he slotted home from close range from a Marcus Rashford pass. Hansi Flick was without the suspended Lamine Yamal and striker Ferran Torres due to a muscle injury. The game started with a minute’s silence for the victims of Sunday’s train crash in Spain that left 43 dead. Slavia were eliminated after a fourth loss in seven European outings left them third-bottom in the standings. Kane double fires Bayern into Champions League last 16 Harry Kane scored twice in three second-half minutes as Bayern Munich saw off Union Saint-Gilloise 2-0 on Wednesday to reach the last 16 of the Champions League. Bayern joined Arsenal in sealing a top-eight finish in the 36-team table with a game to spare, avoiding a potential two-legged knockout play-off round. Kane headed in from a corner before winning and converting a penalty to put the hosts firmly in control. The England captain had a chance for a hat-trick but missed a late spot-kick, after Bayern centre-back Kim Min-jae had been dismissed for a second yellow card. Bayern’s Champions League defeat at Arsenal remains their only loss in all competitions this season, in which they have also already opened up an 11-point lead in the Bundesliga. Kane’s second goal was his 34th of the campaign, bringing Bayern’s total tally to 103 strikes from 29 games. Bayern were sluggish in the opening half, perhaps unsettled by the absence of their 9,300-strong ultra contingent, with the lower stand closed due to a UEFA sanction for setting off pyrotechnics. The best chance of the opening half fell to Belgian champions Union SG. With half an hour played, an unmarked Promise David got away from the Bayern defence and had just Manuel Neuer to beat, but headed his effort directly at the goalkeeper. Bayern needed a set-piece to break the deadlock with 52 minutes gone. Michael Olise lofted the ball into the six-yard area and Kane found space at the near post to head his side in front. One minute later, Kane was felled by Union ‘keeper Kjell Scherpen and stepped up to double Bayern’s lead. Kim, handed a rare start with Dayot Upamecano out sick, was sent off in the 63rd minute, picking up a second yellow for yanking Raul Florucz’s arm as the winger went on the attack. But the red card did not disrupt Bayern’s flow. Kane uncharacteristically blasted a penalty against the bar with 10 minutes left, while Olise chipped another opportunity over with just Scherpen to beat. Newcastle pounce on PSV errors to close in on Champions League last 16 Newcastle climbed into position to reach the Champions League last 16 by punishing PSV Eindhoven’s defensive blunders for a 3-0 win at St James’ Park on Wednesday. Yoane Wissa, on his first Champions League start, and Anthony Gordon struck inside the opening half hour after the Dutch champions played themselves into trouble. Harvey Barnes rounded off the scoring for his fifth goal in as many games just after the hour mark. Victory for the Magpies was soured by an ankle injury to captain Bruno Guimaraes that forced the Brazilian off just before half-time. Guimaraes could be a big miss for when Eddie Howe’s men make the daunting trip to Paris Saint-Germain next week in the final round of league phase fixtures, hoping to secure a top-eight finish. Newcastle sit in the top eight only on goal difference and will likely need to beat the holders on home soil to avoid the play-off round. Wissa rewarded Howe’s faith for starting him ahead of Nick Woltemade up front. The DR Congo international swept in from Joelinton’s pass after a poor clearance by PSV goalkeeper Matej Kovar. Despite being called to review the goal, German referee Daniel Siebert stood by his decision to award the goal as he deemed Wissa had not interfered with play from an offside position earlier in the move. PSV are romping towards another Eredivisie title with a 16-point lead at the top of the table. Peter Bosz’s men won 4-1 away at Liverpool and hit Napoli for six earlier in the league phase, but are still at risk of missing out on a place in the top 24, which would secure progress to the play-off round. The visitors were architects of their own downfall again for the second when Yarek Gasiorowski’s underhit backpass allowed Wissa to square for Gordon to roll into an empty net. The England international now has six goals in the Champions League this season, behind only Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane in the battle to be the competition’s top goalscorer. However, a fine half for the home side ended badly when Guimaraes needed lengthy treatment after colliding with Kovar at a corner and was eventually replaced. Howe’s options in midfield and defence were already depleted by a lengthy injury list amid a gruelling schedule with Newcastle still alive in four competitions. However, up front he is spoiled for choice with Barnes in fine form since the turn of the year. The 28-year-old burst through the static PSV defence to fire in his 12th goal of the season 25 minutes from time. Saudi-backed Newcastle are one of five Premier League teams among the top eight as it stands as the English sides flex their financial muscle in Europe’s elite competition. But they will have to finish the job against another of the continent’s wealthiest clubs when they travel to Qatari-owned PSG, aiming to deny the holders direct qualification for the last 16. Caicedo strikes late as Chelsea end Pafos resistance Moises Caicedo’s late goal gave Chelsea a vital 1-0 win against Cypriot minnows Pafos on Wednesday as the Blues moved closer to automatic qualification for the Champions League last 16. In Liam Rosenior’s first Champions League game as Chelsea boss, Caicedo netted in the closing stages at Stamford Bridge to end Pafos’ stubborn resistance. Chelsea’s fourth victory from seven Champions League group stage matches lifted them into eighth place. A win at Napoli in their final group game on January 28 would likely be enough to send Chelsea through to the last 16, depending on other results. The Blues would face the unwanted stress of a play-off round if they finish outside the top eight. Rosenior has won three times and lost once in his first four games since arriving from Strasbourg to replace Enzo Maresca, who left Stamford Bridge after mounting tensions with the club’s hierarchy. It was far from plain sailing for Rosenior as Chelsea struggled to find a way past inspired Pafos keeper Jay Gorter before Caicedo made the breakthrough. Optimistic Chelsea fans have noted their two Champions League triumphs in 2012 and 2021 came after they changed manager in mid-season. But there is a long way to go before Rosenior can hope to emulate those iconic victories masterminded by Roberto Di Matteo and Thomas Tuchel. Chelsea have been steady rather than eye-catching so far under Rosenior, with far sterner tests lying in wait in the surprise choice to replace Maresca. Wake-up call  Rosenior made six changes from the 2-0 win over Brentford on Saturday, with injured England forward Cole Palmer absent due to a slight strain. Brazilian veteran David Luiz, a 2012 Champions League winner with Chelsea, was on the bench for Pafos, who were far from overawed in their first ever match against English opposition. Chelsea laboured for long periods and even when Enzo Fernandez had the ball in the net in the 18th minute, the midfielder’s close-range header was disallowed for a push. Chelsea nearly gifted Pafos a shock opener when a wayward back-pass to Filip Jorgensen was almost intercepted by Anderson Silva, but the Blues keeper chested the ball away from danger. Rosenior’s men had lost their momentum and Pafos went close when Jaja’s shot from just inside the area took a wicked deflection off Reece James and hit the post with Jorgensen rooted to the spot. That near-miss served as a wake-up call and Caicedo’s blast was pushed away by Gorter before Benoit Badiashile glanced a header narrowly wide moments later. Caicedo’s long-range drive forced another good stop from Gorter, who also repelled Jorrel Hato’s fierce strike just before half-time. Frustration was mounting among Chelsea supporters and Rosenior made a double change at the break, sending on Robert Sanchez for Jorgensen and Estevao Willian for James. Estevao nearly made an instant impact with a stinging volley that Gorter saved at full stretch. Gorter was enjoying the game of his life and he denied Pedro Neto and Caicedo with two more fine saves. To Rosenior’s immense relief, Chelsea finally found a way past Gorter in the 78th minute. Pafos couldn’t clear a corner and Caicedo arrived to flick his header into the far corner from close range.