Barcelona’s goal of reaching the quarterfinals of the Champions League this season is not that easy.
The Catalans drew 1-1 away from Newcastle United, a result that exposed Flick’s poor away record in the Champions League.
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If not for Dani Olmo’s stellar performance, the outcome could have been much worse.
Coming on as a substitute, Olmo provided more of a spark for Barcelona’s attack, notably winning the penalty that set up Lamine Yamal’s late equalizer.
Dani Olmo: Barcelona’s guardian angel at UCL?
As Marca highlights, this is not the first time Olmo has played a key role in this season’s Champions League.
Despite only playing 20 minutes at St James’ Park, the Catalan midfielder played a decisive role in the final game of the match.
Dani Olmo played a vital role in helping Barcelona draw. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
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Olmo’s European heroics have been a recurring theme throughout the campaign. In Prague on January 21, he came on with less than half an hour left in the game and the score was tied at 2-2.
With his first touch of the ball, he hit a beautiful shot into the top corner of the goal, helping the team win 3-2. He was equally influential in the 4-1 win over Copenhagen, providing Lamine Hjalmar with a brilliant pass to set up Robert Lewandowski’s first goal.
Since returning from a shoulder injury in early January, Olmo has become an indispensable tool for Hansi Flick.
He has started 12 of Barcelona’s last 18 games and has already surpassed the total number of minutes he played for the club in all of last season.
His impact was not limited to Europe; in La Liga, he scored decisive goals against Alaves, Atletico Madrid, Espanyol and Oviedo, which were crucial in keeping Barcelona at the top of the table.
