Club Brugge and Barcelona played out a six-goal thriller on Wednesday night as the spoils were shared in an entertaining 3-3 draw. The Belgian side responded to back-to-back Champions League defeats with a solid point. Barcelona, meanwhile, came from behind three times to secure what could prove a precious result in their bid to book their place in the last 16 of the competition.
Brugge raced into an early lead as Carlos Forbs beat the offside trap and presented Nicolo Tresoldi with an easy chance to tuck past Wojciech Szczesny. The lead, though, lasted just two minutes as Barcelona hit back with a bang through Ferran Torres, who easily beat Nordin Jackers from close range.
And Barca missed the chance to go ahead in the 10th minute as Fermin Lopez, who provided the assist for Torres, struck the outside of the left post. The hosts made the Spanish champions pay for their profligacy as they were ahead again in the 17th minute following a rapid counter. Forbs and Christos Tzolis linked up well, with the former on hand to follow up his early assist with a well-taken effort past Szczesny.
Barcelona huffed and puffed for an equaliser in the second half as Fermin forced a fine Jackers stop six minutes after the break, and their pressure finally paid off on the hour mark as Lamine Yamal slalomed his way through a sea of Brugge bodies, played a neat one-two with Fermin before finishing superbly past Jackers.
Parity, though, lasted just two minutes as Forbs again ruthlessly exploited Barcelona's high defensive line to delicately dink past Szczesny to score his second and Brugge's third.
Barcelona were again level with a little over 10 minutes to go as Yamal's cross was turned past Jackers by Tzolis as the La Liga giants looked to claim a pressure victory in Belgium. And while Barca dominated, they rode their luck late on as Szczesny came close to committing a costly error in injury time in an entertaining stalemate.
GOAL rates Barcelona's players from the Jan Breydelstadion…
Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence
Wojciech Szczesny (4/10):
Was left exposed by Barcelona's high defensive line for all three goals. Did deny Seys at his near post minutes after the break. Came very close to committing a costly effort in second-half injury time.
Jules Kounde (6/10):
Played Forbs onside for Tresoldi's opening goal. Hit the crossbar midway through the first half.
Ronald Araujo (5/10):
Captained Barcelona on the night but struggled to marshal the Blaugrana backline against this rapid Brugge attack.
Eric Garcia (5/10):
Made a vital clearance early on from a Tzolis cross. Hit the bar in the second half but looked lost at the back whenever the Belgian side pushed forward.
Alejandro Balde (4/10):
Really struggled against Forbs. All three Brugge goals came down his side and almost conceded a second-half penalty.
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Frenkie de Jong (7/10):
Dictated the tempo in the middle of the park and linked the defence and attack well.
Marc Casado (6/10):
Tidy on the ball but offered little going forward. Came off after an hour.
AFPAttack
Lamine Yamal (9/10):
Hauled Barcelona level on the hour mark with a fine finish following neat link-up play with Fermin and forced the third with a cross from the right that was inadvertently turned past Jackers by Tzolis. Saved the Spanish side in Belgium.
Fermin Lopez (8/10):
Provided the assist for Ferran's equaliser and clipped the post shortly after. Forced a good Jackers save after the break and linked up well with Yamal for the winger's goal.
Marcus Rashford (6/10):
Had a few first half chances, the best of which forced Jackers into a low stop shortly before the beak.
Ferran Torres (7/10):
Bagged a rapid leveller after Barcelona had gone behind with a well-taken finish. Came close to adding a second on the stroke of half-time after rounding Jackers. Replaced after an hour.
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Robert Lewandowski (5/10):
Saw a low drive blocked by Ordonez with 15 minutes to play. Evidently still short of match fitness.
Dani Olmo (6/10):
Offered Barcelona more drive from midfield after replacing Casado on the hour mark.
Pau Cubarsi (N/A):
Came on for Garcia in added time.
Gerard Martin (N/A):
Replaced Balde for the final seconds.
Hansi Flick (5/10):
Got his tactics completely wrong as the Barcelona defence looked completely exposed whenever Brugge pushed forward. Yamal spared his blushes.