Barcelona advance to Champions League knockout rounds for first time since Messi’s departure.

Barcelona booked their place in the Champions League knockout stages for the first time since Lionel Messi’s departure after a 2-1 win over Porto on Tuesday. The victory was secured thanks to goals from João Cancelo, who equalised shortly after Porto’s opener by Pepê in the 30th minute, and João Félix, who netted the decisive strike in the 57th minute.

With the win, Barcelona climbed to 12 points in Group C, three ahead of both Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk, who had earlier beaten Antwerp 1-0. The match saw Barcelona cope without first-choice goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, sidelined with a back issue, with Iñaki Peña starting in his place and 17-year-old Diego Kochen named on the bench.

Sergi Roberto made his return to the squad after nearly eight weeks out. The result comes as a boost for Barcelona, who had endured a difficult period, including a 1-0 defeat to Shakhtar in their previous Champions League game and a 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga. This win ensures the Catalans progress to the knockout rounds, keeping their European campaign alive.