That’s all we have for you folks on our latest European continental football coverage. See you again soon with all the goals, thrills, excitement and drama!
As for Barcelona, they were full value for their 1-1 draw against Napoli at the Camp Nou and will be confident of progressing to the next stage when the pair meet again at the Diego Maradona Stadium in Naples even though it won’t be an easy task.
It wasn’t a game to remember for BVB as they fell 2-4 to their Scottish counterparts in the club’s 1,000th match at the Signal Iduna Park. Nontheless, they still have the return leg at the Ibrox to worry about and must put up a response if they want their European adventure to continue.
FULL-TIME AT THE CAMP NOU: Barcelona 1-1 Napoli
FULL-TIME AT THE SIGNAL IDUNA PARK: Borussia Dortmund 2-4 Rangers
82′ MIN: Raphael Guerreiro controls the ball with an excellent first touch on the edge of the penalty box after receiving a splendid pass from Jude Bellingham and smashes the ball into the top right corner!
GOOOAAAALLL!!! Borussia Dortmund 2-4 Rangers (R. Guerreiro)
59′ MIN: The Catalans are levell! Ferran Torres unleashes an unstoppable penalty past Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret into the bottom left corner.
GOOOAAALLLL!!! Barcelona 1-1 Napoli (F. Torres)
58′ MIN: It’s been a while since that incident in the box, but the ref must have received some information as he makes the VAR signal. He’s going to review that earlier penalty shout and subsequently points to the spot ater consultation with the VAR! What a chance for Barcelona.
PENALTY!!! For Barcelona
54′ MIN: Alfredo Morelos gets his brace of the evening. El Buffalo finds the back of the net off an assist from Joe Aribo.
GOOOAAALLL!!! Borussia Dortmund 1-4 Rangers (A. Morelos)
51′ MIN: The hosts pull one back through Jude Bellingham. The Englishman collects a pass from Raphael Guerreiro and without hesitation fires an unstoppable shot inside the left post.
GOOAAALLLL!!! Borussia Dortmund 1-3 Rangers (J. Bellingham)
49′ MIN: John Lundstram collects a pass and without hesitation fires an unstoppable shot inside the right post. The Gers are in total control of this tie!
GOOOAAALLLL!!! Borussia Dortmund 0-3 Rangers (J. Lundstram)
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY AT THE CAMP NOU: Barcelona 0-1 Napoli
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY AT THE SIGNAL IDUNA PARK: Borussia Dortmund 0-2 Rangers
HALF-TIME AT THE CAMP NOU: Barcelona 0-1 Napoli
HALF TIME AT THE SIGNAL IDUNA PARK: Borussia Dortmund 0-2 Rangers
41′ MIN: A corner kick is whipped into the box and Alfredo Morelos buries the ball into the back of the net, from a Joe Aribo knock down.
GOOAAALLL!!! Borussia Dortmund 0-2 Rangers (A. Morelos)
38′ MIN: Rangers skipper James Tavernier makes no mistake from twelve yards, as he slots the ball into the right of the net giving BVB goalkeeper Gregor Kobel no chance!
GOAAALLLL!!! Borussia Dortmund 0-1 Rangers (J. Tavernier)
37′ MIN: The game is interrupted following a clear handball by BVB’s Dan-Axel Zagadou. After consulting with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), centre referee Clement Turpin uncompromisingly points to the spot and it’s a penalty to Rangers.
PENALTY!!! For Rangers
29′ MIN: The visitors find the breakthrough courtesy of Piotr Zielinski.
GOOOAAALLLL!!! Barcelona 0-1 Napoli (P. Zielinski)
KICK-OFF AT THE SIGNAL IDUNA PARK: Borussia Dortmund 0-0 Rangers
KICK-OFF AT THE CAMP NOU: Barcelona 0-0 Napoli
STATS: This is the ninth competitive match between these two sides. Dortmund have won just one of the previous eight meetings and it was the most recent, with a last-minute Fredi Bobic goal forcing extra-time in the 1999/2000 UEFA Cup campaign. Rangers were protecting a 2-0 lead from the first leg at Ibrox but were eliminated on penalties, with current manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Arthur Numan and Claudio Reyna all failing to beat keeper Jans Lehmann from the spot.
There were two exciting 2-2 draws in the 1995/1996 UEFA Champions League season, but Rangers finished bottom of the group without a win after two heavy defeats to eventual winners Juventus. Rangers saw off the Germans in the 1982/1983 UEFA Cup, winning 2-0 in Glasgow after a goalless draw in the first leg. And it was a similar story in 1966 when Rangers again earned a goalless stalemate away from home after a 2-1 win in Glasgow. That was en route to a narrow Cup Winners’ Cup Final defeat to Bayern Munich.
The Signal Iduna Park originally called the Westfalenstadion which sits around 80,000 spectators, is set to host its 1,000th match that Borussia Dortmund have played there since its opening in 1974. But there will only be 10,000 spectators at the party due to local Covid-19 restrictions. There will be a few lucky Rangers fans in attendance, with just 500 tickets allocated to the visitors.
The Rangers Starting XI to face Borussia Dortmund, with former Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey amongst the substitutes.
Elsewhere at the Signal Iduna Park, manager Marco Rose has named his side set to do battle with their Scottish rivals but he will be without star man Erling Haaland because of an adductor problem.
As for Napoli, boss Luciano Spalletti will be pleased to have Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen in his starting line-up. The lanky hitman did not train yesterday due to some minor injury concerns but it appears the No. 9 has shrugged off his fitness worries.
Barca coach Xavi Hernandez has handed a first start to winter signing Pierre Emerick Aubameyang. Also, Ferran Torres and Adama Traore are among the starting XI.
Barcelona find themselves in this competition for the first time in two decades. The Catalans had a miserable UEFA Champions League group stage campaign where they finished third behind German Bundesliga side Bayern Munich and Portuguese outfit Benfica.
A fine evening to you soccer fans and welcome to Apex Football’s European continental football coverage. Tonight, we shall be bringing you LIVE updates from the UEFA Europa League as Barcelona welcomes Italian Serie A outfit Napoli to Camp Nou, while in our simultaneous fixture coverage, Borussia Dortmund shall pay hosts to Scottish Premiership giants Rangers at the Signal Iduna Park.
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