Barcelona continued their dominant run in the Champions League with a resounding 5-2 victory over Crvena Zvezda on Wednesday, extending their impressive winning streak to seven matches across all competitions. Robert Lewandowski was the star of the show, scoring twice to reach a career milestone of 99 Champions League goals, as the Spanish giants maintained their position near the top of their group.
Barcelona’s clinical attack was evident from the start. Inigo Martinez opened the scoring in the 13th minute, heading home from a well-delivered Raphinha free-kick. The Brazilian winger could have doubled Barcelona’s lead shortly after, but he failed to convert a golden opportunity and even hit the post directly from a corner kick. Despite these missed chances, Barcelona continued to control the game, and Lewandowski netted his first goal in the 39th minute, finishing a rebound after Raphinha’s shot hit the post.
However, Crvena Zvezda fought back in the 27th minute, with Silas latching onto a through ball and coolly finishing past Barcelona's goalkeeper, Inaki Pena, to level the score. But Barcelona’s relentless attacking pressure soon overwhelmed the Serbian side. Lewandowski doubled his tally just after the break, bundling in a cross from Jules Kounde to give Barcelona a 3-1 lead. Raphinha made it 4-1 with a low shot from the edge of the box, and Fermin Lopez added a fifth after another assist from Kounde.
Despite a late consolation goal from Milson, who curled a fine shot past Pena, Barcelona finished comfortable winners, securing their fifth goal of the game with Lopez’s strike. The result highlighted Barcelona’s attacking prowess, with Lewandowski’s brace bringing his season’s tally to 19 goals in just 16 matches.
Although the Catalans were clinical going forward, they still showed signs of vulnerability at the back, with center-back Martinez admitting that defensive lapses need to be addressed for Barcelona to become an even stronger team. Nonetheless, the win continues their upward trajectory in Europe, leaving them in a strong position to qualify for the knockout stages.
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