Barcelona beat Galatasaray, reach Europa League quarter-finals

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the winner as Barcelona fought back from a goal down to beat Galatasaray 2-1 on Thursday to book their spot in the Europa League quarter-finals, while Andriy Yarmolenko scored an extra-time winner as West Ham knocked out Sevilla.

After a goalless first leg at the Camp Nou last week, Xavi Hernandez’s Barca trailed on aggregate in the last 16 when Marcao headed Galatasaray into a 28th-minute lead on the night in Istanbul. But 19-year-old midfielder Pedri drew the visitors level before the break.

The Catalan giants, playing in Europe’s second-tier competition for the first time since 2004 after a Champions League group-stage exit, forged ahead for the first time in the tie less than five minutes into the second half.
Aubameyang, a January signing after his contract with Arsenal was ended, tapped in from Frenkie de Jong’s pass to score his seventh goal for the club.

Barcelona will now turn their attentions to this weekend’s Clasico against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.

“We played a match of huge personality,” said Xavi. “It was a great performance to fight back on a ground like this against a very good team.”

Xavi’s men sit third in the La Liga table, 15 points behind runaway leaders Real, as they look to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

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