Barcelona 3-0 Brest, Champions League: Recap

Barcelona secured their fourth straight win in the League Phase of this season's UEFA Champions League, firmly placing themselves among the Top 8 teams with a decisive 3-0 triumph over Brest on Tuesday night at the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium. Barça dominated the match overall but had to be patient for 65 minutes before finally gaining a solid advantage. However, under the direction of Hansi Flick, the team ultimately sailed to a convincing home victory, putting an end to their recent struggles and moving them closer to an automatic berth in the Round of 16.

It took Barça just 10 minutes to take the lead when Robert Lewandowski was brought down in the penalty area by Brest's goalkeeper, Marco Bizot. Lewandowski then confidently converted the penalty, marking the 100th goal of his Champions League career and putting the Blaugrana ahead.

Right from the start, the home team dominated, preventing the away team from capitalizing on any counterattacks. They displayed impressive energy when they didn't have the ball, quickly regaining possession, and their passing was both fast and accurate.

For the last 35 minutes, the main problem was in the attacking zone. Barça repeatedly struggled with the final pass needed to break through the Brest defense. They often squandered great opportunities by making bad choices or not completing simple passes that would have certainly resulted in more goals.

Brest successfully kept the score from rising to two goals against them thanks to some important actions from their defenders, along with a few impressive saves by Bizot. As the period came to a close, the visitors continued to hang on.

The halftime whistle marked the conclusion of a half where Barça started strong and maintained control for most of the period. However, they were unable to take full advantage of their dominance, heading into the break with just a one-goal lead. While they performed decently in the first 45 minutes, they needed to improve their finishing in the attacking zone to secure the three points in the second half.

The second half began similarly, with Barcelona maintaining control of the field and showcasing their attractive style of play as they approached the opponent's goal. However, they squandered several good opportunities due to careless errors, and they failed to convert key chances—one notable attempt by Dani Olmo from close range was even cleared off the line. As a result, the score remained 1-0 as we hit the 60-minute mark.

However, the Catalan team continued to apply pressure, not giving Brest any room or time to regain composure. Their relentless efforts were rewarded when Gerard Martín delivered a beautifully placed pass into the penalty area, connecting with Dani Olmo. Olmo skillfully maneuvered past several defenders and slotted the ball past the goalkeeper, finally increasing Barça's advantage to two goals.

In the last 25 minutes, the Blaugrana took full control of the match, expertly managing the game and denying Brest any opportunities to score. They added a third goal in stoppage time when Alejandro Balde set up Lewandowski, who beautifully finished to secure his second goal. Barça sailed through the remainder of the match without any issues, ultimately clinching all three points and maintaining a clean sheet as the final whistle blew.

The final score doesn't reflect how the game actually went. Barça had complete control throughout, and on another day, they could have easily netted five or six goals. However, they weren't sharp enough in front of the net to widen the scoreline. Still, it was a solid win and a great performance overall, bringing Barça a step closer to securing an automatic place in the Champions League Round of 16.

The team has broken their two-game winless run, and now they have another chance to secure a victory at home this weekend in La Liga to get back on track and revive the positive spirit. Great job, team!

Barcelona: The lineup featured Peña; Kounde, Cubarsí, Iñigo, and Martín (who was substituted by Balde in the 78th minute); Casadó, with Pedri coming off for De Jong in the 88th minute; Raphinha, who was replaced by Olmo in the 68th minute, Gavi stepping in for Fermín (who left the field for Torre in the 78th minute); and Lewandowski leading the attack.

Goals: Lewandowski scored a penalty at the 10-minute mark and again in stoppage time at 90+2 minutes, while Olmo found the net in the 66th minute.

Brest: Bizot; Lala, Chardonnet, Le Cardinal, Haidara; Camara (substituted by Faivre at 70’), Fernandes (substituted by Martin at 78’), Magnetti; Doumbia (substituted by Pereira-Lage at 70’), Ajorque (substituted by Del Castillo at 78’), Sima (substituted by Baldé at 59’).