{"id":77317,"date":"2022-04-15T13:26:50","date_gmt":"2022-04-15T13:26:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=77317"},"modified":"2022-04-15T13:26:50","modified_gmt":"2022-04-15T13:26:50","slug":"frankfurt-stun-barcelona-to-reach-europa-league-semis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/en.bornomalanews.com\/?p=77317","title":{"rendered":"Frankfurt stun Barcelona to reach Europa League semis"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Sports Desk:<\/strong> Barcelona were dumped out of the Europa League on Thursday as Eintracht Frankfurt pulled off a shock 3-2 victory at Camp Nou to progress to the semi-finals.<\/p>\n

After the first leg finished 1-1 in Germany last week, Barca were strong favourites to win at home against a side sitting ninth in the Bundesliga.<\/p>\n

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But Frankfurt, inspired by an incredible travelling support of around 20,000 fans, outplayed the Catalans, Filip Kostic scoring twice, the first an early penalty, either side of a stunning long-range strike by Rafael Santos Borre.<\/p>\n

Sergio Busquets pulled one back for Barcelona in the 91st minute and then Memphis Depay scored a penalty in the 11th minute of injury time as the hosts attempted a late comeback.<\/p>\n

But it was too little, too late as Frankfurt sealed a momentous 4-3 aggregate win.<\/p>\n

They will face West Ham in the last four after the Premier League side cruised past Lyon.<\/p>\n

“It's a hammer blow for us. They deserved to go through,” said Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez, who was also unhappy at the number of away fans inside the stadium.<\/p>\n

“Obviously it didn't help us,” Xavi added. “It was like a final, the fans evenly divided. The club is checking what happened but it was an error on our part.”<\/p>\n

“We'll go there and beat them,” Frankfurt's sporting director Markus Kroesche had said on Wednesday but few believed it possible, not least because of Barcelona's brilliant recent run of form under Xavi.<\/p>\n

They were undefeated since December in all competitions and have surged up to second in La Liga after thrashing Real Madrid 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu less than a month ago.<\/p>\n

While that run means Barca should no longer need the Europa League to qualify for the Champions League next season, this was a great chance for Xavi to add a trophy to what has been an impressive first few months as coach.<\/p>\n

Instead, Frankfurt go through to the last four and the German club will now be eyeing a first European triumph since they won the UEFA Cup in 1980.<\/p>\n

– Injury time goals –<\/p>\n

Frankfurt exploded out of the blocks and Barca gave them a head start, Eric Garcia pulling down Jesper Lindstroem under a high ball in the box and Kostic driving in the penalty after three minutes played.<\/p>\n

Barcelona went close to an equaliser as Ronald Araujo's volley was palmed away before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang headed Ousmane Dembele's cross just over.<\/p>\n

But Frankfurt kept pouring forward on the counter and in the 36th minute they scored again. Dembele's pass for Busquets fell short in midfield and Frankfurt broke fast.<\/p>\n

Kostic scooped in-field for Borre, who advanced at the retreating Araujo and then unleashed from 40 yards, the ball thundering past Marc-Andre ter Stegen and into the net.<\/p>\n

Frenkie de Jong replaced the injured Pedri at half-time and Barca almost grabbed the early goal they needed but Aubameyang inexplicably missed the ball from a yard out at the back post.<\/p>\n

At the other end, Lindstroem could have put Frankurt out of sight but his finish was blocked by the right foot of Ter Stegen while Barca wanted a penalty for a handball against Borre but technical problems prevented the referee from reviewing with VAR.<\/p>\n

Aubameyang and Garcia both went off and moments later, Frankfurt hit Barca with a third that was as ruthless as it was simple.<\/p>\n

A throw-in was headed onto Daichi Kamada, who had time to shift left to Kostic. Sergino Dest was slow to close the space and Kostic punished him, unleashing a shot past Ter Stegen and into the far corner.<\/p>\n

Busquets, who had already had a goal ruled out by VAR, finally lashed one in for Barcelona in the first minute of injury time.<\/p>\n

Barca needed two more. They should have got one but Araujo's finish was blocked and Luuk de Jong headed wide.<\/p>\n

Then they did, De Jong barged over by Evan N'Dicka and Depay finishing from the spot. There was no time for another attack.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sports Desk: Barcelona were dumped out of the Europa League on Thursday as Eintracht Frankfurt pulled off a shock 3-2 victory at Camp Nou to progress to the semi-finals. After the first leg finished 1-1 in Germany last week, Barca were strong favourites to win at home against a side sitting ninth in the Bundesliga. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":77318,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n