BARCELONA, SPAIN — Marcus Rashford's stunning 85th-minute free kick capped a dominant Barcelona performance as the Catalan giants cruised to a 4-1 Champions League victory over F.C. København at Spotify Camp Nou. The result lifts Barcelona to 18th place in the standings with 7 points, while the Danish visitors remain mired in 29th position with their European hopes fading fast.
The opening exchanges belonged entirely to the hosts, who controlled 76.5% of possession and launched wave after wave of attacks at the København goal. Dominik Kotarski was called into action early, denying Robert Lewandowski twice in the 15th minute from close range, the Polish striker unable to convert from the left side of the six-yard box on both occasions. The København goalkeeper had already been tested in the 11th minute, saving Eric García's effort from the center of the box after Raphinha's clever assist.
Yet it was the visitors who struck first against the run of play. In the 4th minute, Viktor Dadason caught Barcelona napping with a right-footed strike from outside the box, converting Mohamed Elyounoussi's perfectly weighted through ball to silence the Camp Nou faithful. The early shock galvanized København's defensive resolve, with Kotarski producing heroics to keep his side ahead as Barcelona's frustration mounted.
The second half began with Barcelona in relentless pursuit of an equalizer. Kotarski denied Lamine Yamal's left-footed effort from the right side of the box in the 47th minute, then immediately saved Marc Bernal's attempt from distance. But the dam finally burst three minutes into the restart when Lewandowski atoned for his earlier misses, rifling home a right-footed shot from very close range after Yamal's assist to level the scores at 1-1.
The floodgates opened thereafter. Yamal, Barcelona's teenage sensation, put the hosts ahead in the 60th minute with a sublime left-footed finish from the right side of the box, tucking the ball into the bottom left corner after combining brilliantly with Fermín López. The 17-year-old's composure belied his years as he celebrated what proved to be the decisive goal.
Barcelona's dominance was reflected in the statistics, with the hosts launching 28 shots compared to København's meager 6 attempts. The visitors managed just a single shot on target all evening, forcing Kotarski into 8 saves as he stood as the last line of defense against a Barcelona onslaught. The Catalan side won 10 corners to København's solitary set piece, pinning the Danish champions back for long stretches.
Raphinha extended Barcelona's advantage from the penalty spot in the 69th minute, converting with a left-footed strike to the bottom right corner after Lewandowski had been fouled by Junnosuke Suzuki inside the area. The Brazilian's clinical finish gave Barcelona breathing room and effectively ended any hopes of a København comeback.
The match turned physical in the closing stages, with København accumulating 4 yellow cards to Barcelona's single booking. Gabriel Pereira and Birger Meling both saw yellow as frustrations boiled over, the latter cautioned in the 87th minute for a foul on Marc Casadó. Barcelona had 12 fouls to København's 11 in what became an increasingly fractious encounter.
Rashford, introduced as a substitute for Dani Olmo in the 72nd minute, provided the cherry on top with a magnificent free kick in the 85th minute. The English forward curled his right-footed effort into the bottom left corner, leaving Kotarski with no chance and sealing Barcelona's most comprehensive performance of their Champions League campaign.
Fermín López was instrumental throughout, his movement and passing unlocking the København defense repeatedly. The young midfielder saved his best for the 63rd minute, forcing another fine stop from Kotarski with a left-footed drive from outside the box. Jules Koundé marshaled the Barcelona defense effectively, while Alejandro Balde provided width down the left flank.
For København, the evening represented damage limitation after Dadason's early strike. Elias Achouri and Jordan Larsson worked tirelessly up front but received little service, with Mohamed Elyounoussi's through ball for the opening goal proving their only moment of genuine quality in the final third. Pantelis Hatzidiakos and Gabriel Pereira battled valiantly in central defense but were ultimately overwhelmed by Barcelona's attacking firepower.
The final whistle brought relief for Barcelona and despair for København, whose European adventure appears all but over. VAR drama in stoppage time saw Gabriel Pereira's late effort ruled out for offside, denying the visitors even a consolation goal as Pantelis Hatzidiakos was caught beyond the last defender.
Barcelona will carry this momentum into their next test against Sevilla on February 1, while København must regroup quickly with their domestic campaign demanding immediate attention.