In Catalonia, Shakhtar Donetsk gave Barcelona a huge scare by stepping up their game in the second half. 

Before the half-hour mark, Ferran Torres scored the first goal for the home team. A few minutes later, Fermin Lopez gave the Blaugrana a two-goal lead. 

Even though they were ahead for most of the game, a long-range goal from Heorhiy Sudakov put the Ukrainian team back in the game and gave Marino Pusic’s team new energy. Xavi Hernandez’s team, on the other hand, held on and won all three points to win Group H. 

Barça was in charge from the start, and while Lopez hit the post with the team’s first clear chance, Torres’ hard strike was finally confirmed as the game’s first goal after a long VAR check. 

Lopez was amazing for Barcelona. He scored the second goal and almost scored a third when he hit the post again in the second half. 

Before the game, Pusic had only spent two days with his team in his new job. At halftime, he gave a team talk that must have motivated them to attack with more energy after the break. With the help of young players like Newerton Palmares and Kevin Kelsy, Shakhtar caught Barcelona’s young stars off guard and went for the equalizer as time ran out. 

A useful draw on the road was possible thanks to two late chances for captain Taras Stepanenko. It had been nine years since he scored his last Champions League goal. 

But Barcelona stuck together and stopped the Ukrainian danger at home. This made it almost certain that they would make it to the next round for the first time since 2020.