Joao Cancelo inspired a thrilling turnaround as Barcelona qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League with a 2-1 win over Porto.
The two sides were level on nine points apiece at the top of Group H, with Barca knowing a victory would secure qualification.
But Xavi's side appeared low on confidence after patchy recent form and a defeat last time out in this competition to Shakhtar Donetsk, and Porto's opener had been on the cards before right-winger Pepe broke the deadlock in the 30th minute.
Cancelo found an instant response, cutting in from the left flank past Joao Mario to curl an unstoppable shot beyond Diogo Costa. The Portugal full-back then turned provider before the hour, setting up his compatriot Joao Felix to slot home his first goal since September.
Defensively the Blaugrana continued to be frequently all at sea. This was not a performance to strike fear into the frontrunners for the European title, but they at least now have time to improve before re-entering the conversation in the new year.
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30' Barcelona 0-1 Porto
32' Barcelona 1-1 Porto
Barca replied quickly. 😳 pic.twitter.com/CrtNNEtCqr
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 28, 2023Available in the UK
João Cancelo, that's lovely! 🎯
Picking his corner to perfection 👌#UCL pic.twitter.com/DxDTARsyxK
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 28, 2023Barcelona vs Porto final score
| Fulltime | Goalscorers | |
| Barcelona | 2 | Cancelo '32, Joao Felix '57 |
| Porto | 1 | Pepe '30 |
Barcelona (4-3-3, right to left): 13. Inaki Pena (GK) — 23. Jules Kounde, 4. Ronald Araujo, 5. Inigo Martinez, 2. Joao Cancelo (3. Alejandro Balde) — 8. Pedri, 22. Ilkay Gundogan, 21. Frenkie de Jong — 11. Raphinha, 9. Robert Lewandowski, 14. Joao Felix (7. Ferran Torres).
Porto (4-4-2, right to left): 99. Diogo Costa (GK) — 23. Joao Mario (15. Jorge Sanchez), 2. Fabio Cardoso (19. Danny Namaso), 3. Pepe, 12. Zaidu Sanusi — 11. Pepe, 6. Stephen Eustaquio (6. Nico Gonzalez), 22. Alan Varela, 13. Wenderson Galeno (29. Toni Martinez) — 30. Evanilson (10. Francisco Conceicao), 9. Mehdi Taremi.
MORE: Barcelona vs Porto prediction, odds, betting tips and best bets for Champions League match
Joao about that, then?! Cancelo and Felix leave Barca fans purring
Signing players like Cancelo and Joao Felix says an awful lot about Barcelona's sporting and financial reality nowadays. Both players are lavishly gifted but Cancelo has made moody restlessness a hallmark of a nomadic elite career, while Joao Felix is the €126 million kid who has failed at Atletico Madrid and (briefly) Chelsea. They were available and a Barca seeking to return to the top table had to take a punt on them.
Cancelo roving in from left-back arguably added to the defensive instability that hindered Barca throughout, but on this form his flaws are very easy to tolerate. The equaliser was sublime and came at a moment when the occasion looked set to consume Barcelona. Joao Felix, who clattered the crossbar with a fizzing long-range effort, missed a pair of gilt-edged chances before Cancelo coolly set him up for the winner. If Xavi's Portuguese pair can bring their best to the knockout rounds, Barca can still do some damage.
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Barca's Joãos combine! 🤝
Cancelo finds Félix for the clever finish. 🌟 pic.twitter.com/PNoarSnK2t
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 28, 2023Lewandowski struggling for goals
In a team of youthful ambition and mercurial talents, Robert Lewandowski is supposed to be Barcelona's sure thing. But the master goalscorer cut a forlorn figure here, managing a solitary attempt on goal. Joao Felix and Cancelo had five and four apiece, while the trigger happy Raphinha rattled off eight.
This might suggest a Barca not playing to Lewandowski's considerable strengths, but his 32 touches over the course of the game were the same as Joao Felix's. The 35-year-old has just two goals in his past nine Barcelona appearances, with both of those coming against Alaves prior to the international break. The coming months should tell us more about whether this is simply a great player in a bad run of form or the start of a more permanent decline.
Porto vs Shakhtar: Who will qualify in Champions League Group H?
On another night, Porto might well have taken a point back from Catalonia. As it is, a draw in their final group game against Shakhtar at Estadio do Dragao will be enough to see them through. Sergio Conceicao's men won the reverse fixture 3-1 and should have enough to get through. However, after back-to-back wins, Shakhtar are on the charge. It should be one to remember.
Obrigado, Dragões 🐉👏 #FCBFCP #UCL pic.twitter.com/s7H5SPFSBF
— FC Porto (@FCPorto) November 28, 2023Barcelona vs Porto live updates, highlights, and commentary
Fulltime: Barcelona get over the line. It wasn't easy by any stretch of the imagination and Porto have missed chances to reflect upon. Joao Cancelo was the difference, scoring a stupendous equaliser and creating the winner for Joao Felix, who netted a much-needed goal to end a two-month drought. Tension gripped Barca's fans all night but they can breathe easily now and look forward to the knockout stages in the new year. Thanks very much for joining us.
90th minute+3: Taremi, who has been typically tireless, cuts a pass into Conceicao's path and the substitute fires at Pena. That was a very presentable chance and he should have done much better.
90th minute: Raphinha makes way for teenage sensation Yamine Lamal. The Brazilian has done his case no harm tonight. Danny Namaso and Toni Martinez coming on in Porto's final throw of the dice. There will be six added minutes.
88th minute: Raphinha tries to seal the point but, in a tale as old as time, Pepe makes a block against Barcelona. Now Gundogan floats a ball towards the back post, here's Raphinha again, oh my word what a wonderful scissors kick! Costa equal to it with a tremendous save.
82nd minute: Cancelo having some treatment. Balde getting ready to come on. This is a huge blow for Barca. The man of the match is coming off.
80th minute: WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON BACK THERE??? Barca all over the shop again. Pepe seems to get the ball stuck his feet, then tries to dig out a chip to Galeno and Gundogan gets in the way. Then the hosts races up the other end and Torres fires wide. Good grief.
79th minute: Cancelo gets his dancing feet going and looks to repeat his first-half goal. It's deflected wide and a goal kick is given. Cancelo understandably is deeply unimpressed.
78th minute: Lewandowski's latest attempt at hold-up play falls down but here's Raphinha. He fires straight at Costa from a tight angle. Barca playing like a team who know their defence means they probably need another goal.
75th minute: Ferran Torres comes on for Joao Felix, who's really needed this confidence-boosting outing.
74th minute: Cancelo is taken out and that's a booking for Pepe. The goalscorer Pepe. The sort of challenge you'd expect to see from... well, Pepe.
72nd minute: Evanilson in behind Barca, cracks a shot that Pena saves. The flag goes up but that would have been an interesting check if the shot went in. The hosts operating with an accident rather than by design offside trap.
71st minute: Cancelo working through the repertoire now. An outrageous pass with the outside of his right boot finds Joao Felix. He tees up Lewandowski but the Poland star can't get a shot away.
68th minute: Joao Mario's ordeal is over. On comes Jorge Sanchez to try and stem the tide down that flank.
64th minute: Joao Mario will probably be seeing Cancelo in his nightmares tonight. Again the Barca man gets a teasing cross off and Lewandowski, who has resided on the margins of this one, heads wide.
57th minute: GOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!!!!! Joao Felix!!!!
Huge moment for Joao Felix, who tucks home a simple chance. Well, none of them are simple when you haven't scored in two months and Champions League qualification is on the line, in fairness. Cancelo the provider as he again punishes Porto down their right flank. He's having some game.
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Barca's Joãos combine! 🤝
Cancelo finds Félix for the clever finish. 🌟 pic.twitter.com/PNoarSnK2t
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 28, 202355th minute: Barca with a Gaudiesque take on the defensive line. Kounde plays everyone onside and Araujo has to come piling across to deny Taremi.
52nd minute: Evanilson drives at the heart of this flaky Barcelona defence after Kounde plays a howling pass out from the back. The ball through for his strike partner Taremi is overhit and Evanilson has Martinez blunder into the back of him for his troubles. Referee Orasato isn't too interested in his plight.
50th minute: Chaos in the Barca box. Pena commits himself and ends up on the deck with Taremi in possession but Porto can't fashion a shooting chance.
47th minute: A more straightforward chance for Joao Felix... and a far worse finish. Cancelo gets into the Porto box and cuts back to his compatriot, who drags wide of the near post. Still, you get the impression Xavi read the riot act at halftime.
46th minute: We're back underway.... oh my goodness! Joao Felix absolutely creams one form 25 yards and rattles the top of the crossbar. Quite the start to the half.
Halftime: Well, that bubbled up into quite the thing. Barcelona seemed to loose all semblance of the plot until Pepe (no, not that on) gave Porto the lead. Then, out of nowhere, Joao Cancelo scored a bit of a screamer and an end-to-end ding dong ensued. All to play for in the second half.
43rd minute: Back come Porto. Lovely feet from Varela and he tries to tease one into the far corner. Pena is equal to it and makes a fine one-handed save.
42nd minute: Diogo Costa, what are you doing???? A dreadful clearance goes straight to Pedri. Porto defenders scramble back to block and Raphinha batters the rebound wide. A huge let-off.
41st minute: Raphinha swings a deep cross towards Joao Felix. Again Joao Mario is all at sea but the Barca forward's chest control lets him down.
37th minute: De Jong gets a yellow card for crudely pulling down Evanilson, just after Cardoso is booked for hammering into the Netherlands international. There's definitely an edge to this one.
35th minute: Raphinha gets Porto backpedalling and puts a chance on a plate for Joao Felix. That's a truly awful finish from the Portugal international, who slaps his shot over. Has to score.
32nd minute: GOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!!!!! Joao Cancelo!!!!!
Wow, how about that for a response?! Cancelo cuts inside a tepid challenge from Joao Mario and lashes a beauty of a shot into the far corner beyond Costa. How they needed that.
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30' Barcelona 0-1 Porto
32' Barcelona 1-1 Porto
Barca replied quickly. 😳 pic.twitter.com/CrtNNEtCqr
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 28, 2023Available in the UK
João Cancelo, that's lovely! 🎯
Picking his corner to perfection 👌#UCL pic.twitter.com/DxDTARsyxK
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 28, 202330th minute: GOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL!!!!! Pepe!!!!! (no, not that one)
Well, you can't say it hasn't been coming. Taremi's shot is blocked by Kounde, Galeno is denied by Pena on the rebound but the ball breaks to the right-winger Pepe who fires home.
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Porto's Pepê (not that one) lashed that into the bottom corner. 🚀 pic.twitter.com/d191mIp15A
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 28, 202329th minute: Fabulous save from Pena, who gets down to his right and beats away a firmly hit effort from Varela. The blue and red shirts in front of Pena are increasingly all over the place.
26th minute: GOOOAAA... no! Taremi steals in behind Araujo to convert but he went a little too early. Still, that will do nothing for Barcelona's seemingly fragile confidence.
25th minute: Pepe crosses to Pepe - I promise this won't get confusing. The loose ball breaks to Varela outside the box and he spanks it way over.
22nd minute: Decent low ball in form the right by Pepe the winger. Taremi can't get the decisive touch. That brings a corner that Pepe the elder attacks to no great effect.
23rd minute: Ooohh, Martinez sees a glorious curling pass in behind the Porto defence. It's just beyond the on-rushing Raphinha.
19th minute: Lewandowski and Araujo appear to get in each other's way from the left-wing corner. Raphinha now gets the chance to arrow one in from the right. It's a wicked delivery but Porto clear their lines.
18th minute: Better from Xavi's men. De Jong gets them moving and Pedri's speculative cross is glanced towards Joao Felix, whose shot is deflected into the side netting.
17th minute: Some fairly ambling playing out from the back by Barca ends with Araujo hoofing the ball out for a throw. There's a nervy look to the hosts at the moment.
13th minute: Gundogan and De Jong work a short corner between themselves. The latter floats the ball in and it skims all the way through to Araujo, who can't quite sort his feet out.
10th minute: Raphinha has another try. This one ricochets off a couple of defenders and falls to Pedri. His ball across goal lacks conviction and then the flag goes up to spare his blushes.
8th minute: Back come Barca and Raphinha cuts inside onto his left foot to let fly. It skids off the slick playing surface but Costa manages to beat the shot away.
7th minute: Crucial challenge from Martinez. Galano and Taremi combine nicely down the left and the former Athletic Bilbao defender has to shut the door.
4th minute: Barca corner floated in from the right but Costa claims with ease.
3rd minute: Quiet start here. Apart from when Pepe gets a touch, of course. A searching ball from Raphinha has too much on it for his fellow attackers.
1 min prior to kickoff: The players are gathering around the centre circle and there will be a moment of appreciation for former Barca and England manager Terry Venables, who died over the weekend.
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Barcelona take a moment to remember their former manager Terry Venables after he sadly passed away this week. ❤️
He led them to LaLiga and Copa de la Liga trophies them during his time there. pic.twitter.com/7V8LtKsLCB
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 28, 20234 mins prior to kickoff: Here come the teams. Pepe leading out Porto. I'm sure he'll get a lovely reception.
15 mins prior to kickoff: The early game in Group H is wrapped up, with Shakhtar Donetsk claiming a 1-0 win over Royal Antwerp to join Barcelona and Porto on nine points. No pressure, lads...
35 mins prior to kickoff: There'd probably be plenty of focus on Joao Felix tonight regardless, given he was a one-time member of the Porto academy who made his professional breakthrough with sworn enemies Benfica. But, despite a promising start to life in Catalonia, he only has three Barcelona goals and hasn't scored for his club at all since a brace against Royal Antwerp in their opening Champions League match of the campaign.
(Getty Images)
55 mins prior to kickoff: This is how the visitors line up. Barca's old tormentor Pepe has made it!
🔵⚪ 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐗𝐈 📋🐉#FCBFCP #UCL pic.twitter.com/uToLWS0Ukz
— FC Porto (@FCPorto) November 28, 20231 hour 5 mins prior to kickoff: Here's the Barca XI. Raphinha joins Robert Lewandowski and Joao Felix in the front three.
🚨 BARÇA XI 🚨#BarçaPorto | @ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/tfUvX2g87R
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 28, 20231 hour 20 mins prior to kickoff: Confirmed team news will be with us shortly. Former Barcelona midfielder Nico Gonzalez is likely to be involved in some capacity for Porto. The 21-year-old joined the Portuguese giants in an €8.5 million deal over the summer and has made 12 appearances across all competitions, although his three in the Champions League have all been from the bench.
getty images
1 hour 40 mins prior to kickoff: Three wins out of three had Barcelona sailing serenely into the last-16, with Xavi's youthful side putting the club's European hurt of recent seasons behind them. However, the 1-0 loss at Shakhtar carried all the hallmarks of bad Barca. Lots of possession, not a lot of penetration and beaten by opponents who seemed to want it that little bit more. Win tonight and they're through, making the defeat last time out a footnote. Lose and Porto would take top spot, meaning things might just get a little hairy.
Getty Images
2 hours prior to kickoff: Hello and welcome to coverage of the Champions League Group H clash between Barcelona and Porto. Both teams are level on nine points after four games and the winner from tonight's game at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys will be in pole position to qualify as top seeds.
Let's do it again! 👊#BarçaPorto pic.twitter.com/N66kIkkaKo
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 28, 2023Barcelona vs Porto lineups, team news
Barcelona will be without Gavi until next season after the 19-year-old suffered a serious knee injury on international duty with Spain this month.
First-choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is sidelined due to a back complaint, with deputy Inaki Pena starting between the posts. Ilkay Gundogan and Joao Felix return in midfield.
Barcelona starting lineup (4-3-3): Pena (GK) — Cancelo, Araujo, Kounde, Martinez — Pedri, Gundogan, De Jong — Raphinha, Lewandowski, Joao Felix.
Pepe is joined at centre-back by Fabio Cardoso in the absence of the suspended David Carmo. Mehdi Taremi is back in the starting XI to lead the line.
Porto starting lineup (4-4-2): Costa (GK) — Joao Mario, Cardoso, Pepe, Sanusi — Pepe, Eustaquio, Varela, Galeno — Evanilson, Taremi.
Barcelona vs Porto live stream, TV channel
The Barcelona versus Porto match from Champions League Group H kicks off at 9:00 p.m. local time from Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona.
Below are the corresponding times, TV channels, and live streams to watch the match in regions around the world
| Date | Kickoff time | TV | Streaming | |
| USA | Tue Nov. 28 | 3 p.m. ET | TUDN USA, Univision | Paramount+, ViX, Univision NOW |
| Canada | Tue Nov. 28 | 3 p.m. ET | — | DAZN |
| UK | Tue Nov. 28 | 8 p.m. GMT | TNT Sports 4 | discovery+ |
| Australia | Wed, Nov. 29 | 7 a.m. AEDT | — | Optus Sport |
| India | Wed, Nov. 29 | 1:30 a.m. IST | — | Sony LIV, JioTV |
| Hong Kong | Wed, Nov. 29 | 4 a.m. HKT | — | beIN Sports Connect |
| Malaysia | Wed, Nov. 29 | 4 a.m. MYT | — | beIN Sports Connect |
| Singapore | Wed, Nov. 29 | 4 a.m. SGT | — | beIN Sports Connect |
| New Zealand | Wed, Nov. 29 | 9 a.m. NZDT | — | beIN Sports Connect |
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