Barcelona saved by handball rule vs Napoli (1-1): Funniest memes and reactions
Barcelona and Napoli drew 1-1 in the first leg of the 2021-22 UEFA Europa League knockout round playoffs at Camp Nou. The visitors were leading until a controversial penalty allowed Xavi's men to put things level and social media went wild.
It took some time to get used to the idea but Barcelona have officially played in the UEFA Europa League for the first time in more than a decade (and for the first time since it was renamed). Their campaign began against Napoli, a team they have faced in the Champions League just two years ago.
Even though Xavi Hernandez's men headed into this match in high spirits as they started to get results in La Liga, the visitors put themselves in front in the first half through Piotr Zielinski.
Barca struggled to turn things around but the handball rule gave them a lifeline in the second half. After VAR review, referee Istvan Kovacs determined that Adama Traore's cross hit Juan Jesus' hand inside the box and Ferran Torres netted the spot-kick. Unsurprisingly, fans were all over the Internet for what they've considered a controversial call.
Funniest memes and reactions to Barcelona-Napoli draw, controversial penalty
This was not the result Barcelona were expecting to get at home but given that they were trailing until the penalty, it is not that unsatisfying either. Barca and Napoli will meet on Thursday, February 24, at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in the return leg. Check out the best memes and reactions from the first leg.
Martin O'Donnell is a bilingual sports writer fluent in English and Spanish, with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications. Since joining Bolavip in February 2021, he has extensively covered soccer, NFL, and NBA, specializing in real-time coverage of major events such as the World Cup, UEFA Champions League finals, and the Super Bowl. Martin’s prior experience includes managing social media for the CONMEBOL Libertadores and Sudamericana in English and reporting on Brazilian football for Sambafoot. At Bolavip, he is known for his meticulous coverage during critical sports seasons—covering trades, playoffs, and finals—and for keeping a close eye on soccer icons Lionel Messi at Inter Miami and Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr. His attention to detail and ability to capture breaking news have made him a valuable asset to the team.