Barcelona playmaker emerges as the club’s guardian angel in the Champions League | OneFootball

Barcelona’s objective to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League this season won’t be so easy.

The Catalans played out a 1-1 draw away from home against Newcastle United – a result that laid bare Hansi Flick’s poor away record in the Champions League.

The result could have been far worse had it not been for an impactful performance from one certain Dani Olmo.

After coming on as a substitute, it was Olmo who offered a bit more spark in the Barcelona attack and notably won the penalty that led to Lamine Yamal’s late equaliser.

Dani Olmo: Barcelona’s guardian angel in UCL?

As highlighted by MARCA, this isn’t the first time Olmo has been crucial in a Champions League match this season.

Despite only having 20 minutes on the pitch at St. James’ Park, the Catalan midfielder proved decisive in the final play of the game.

Dani Olmo played a crucial role in helping Barcelona secure a draw. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

Olmo’s European heroics have been a recurring theme throughout the campaign. In Prague on January 21st, he entered with less than half an hour remaining and the score tied at 2-2.

With his very first touch, he unleashed a spectacular strike into the top corner to secure a 3-2 victory. He was similarly influential in the 4-1 win over Copenhagen, providing a spectacular pass to Lamine Yamal that initiated the move for Robert Lewandowski’s opening goal.

Since returning from a shoulder injury in early January, Olmo has become an indispensable tool for Hansi Flick.

He has started in 12 of Barcelona’s last 18 matches, already surpassing the total minutes he played for the Blaugrana throughout the entirety of last season

His impact isn’t limited to Europe; in La Liga, his decisive goals against Alaves, Atlético Madrid, Espanyol, and Oviedo have been fundamental in keeping Barcelona at the top of the table.