Barcelona beat Porto to secure Champions League last-16 spot

Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix scored in each half to earn Barcelona a 2-1 comeback win at home against Porto on Tuesday that booked their spot in the Champions League knockout rounds for the first time in three seasons.

After crashing out of the competition in the group stage two years in a row, five-times champions Barca are back in the last-16 after securing a top-two finish with one game remaining.

Barcelona are top of Group H on 12 points, three ahead of Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk who will play each other on the final matchday to decide who will join the Spaniards in the knockout stage.

pic.twitter.com/uaLuELgrVI — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 28, 2023

Barca need at least a draw against bottom side Antwerp in two weeks' time to guarantee top spot in the group.

They had to dig deep against a valiant Porto who were the better side in the first half but were frustrated by an inspired performance from Barca goalkeeper Inaki Pena, who replaced injured Marc-Andre ter Stegen and made several excellent saves to keep the hosts in the game.

Pena made a reflex save to deny a point-blank strike from Galeno in the 28th minute and blocked another effort by the Porto winger two minutes later, but this time Pepe was well placed inside the box to strike home the rebound andput them in front.

However, Barca hit back two minutes later, with a fine curling shot into the top corner by Cancelo after he dribbled pastJoao Mario.

Porto didn't give up and almost got back in front in the 43rd minute, when Pena made a superb one-handed save to palm another Galeno shot from range round the post right before the break.

But Cancelo and Felix came out firing in the second half and Barcelona were transformed with the Portuguese duo causing all