Barcelona veteran could start in UCL quarterfinal after impressive cameo vs Napoli

Barcelona captain Sergi Roberto entered the field at the 60-minute mark against Napoli last night, replacing Fermin Lopez, and went on to provide an assist in what capped as one of the unforgettable nights for the veteran.

“It’s an incredible night, reaching the quarterfinals after four years without being where we deserve to be. Today, the fans were with us throughout, and we’re very happy,” said the 32-year-old after the game.

Considering his performance on the night, especially since it was his first appearance since January, a report from SPORT has emerged, saying that the 32-year-old is one of the contenders to start in the quarterfinals of the competition.

An important appearance against Napoli

By the stroke of half-time, the two teams were only separated by a goal and just as Napoli began to threaten the Blaugrana, Xavi turned to his bench to look for solutions. 

Roberto and Oriol Romeu were called upon to replace Andreas Christensen and Fermin, yet Xavi was aware of another key player who could make a decisive impact in the closing stages.

Sergi Roberto provided an assist in just 30 minutes. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

These substitutions ignited a certain Ilkay Gundogan, who adeptly operated around the opposition box, enhancing the attacking play of the team. The strategy proved successful, with Roberto taking charge in midfield, anchoring the team’s performance.

Selfless display

Romeu, who usually plays as a defensive midfielder, allowed Roberto and Gundogan more freedom to move around.

The highlight of his presence came when Gundogan saw him breaking away and passed to him, putting him almost in front of the goalkeeper. Roberto then passed to Robert Lewandowski, who easily scored.

“I could have finished but the play went perfectly. I see that Robert was alone at the penalty spot and happy that he was able to score. I think that in Naples we already had a great first half, but we lacked finishing with goals,” he said after the match.

Given his impressive cameo, there may be a chance for him to feature in the quarterfinals, although there is hope that Pedri and Frenkie de Jong could return for those games next month.