Barcelona started the match with incredible urgency and pressured Frankfurt at every opportunity.
Robert Lewandowski thought he had given the hosts the lead with a 10th-minute volley, but the goal was ruled out for an offside earlier in the move, before Gerard Martín then tried his luck from distance, forcing Frankfurt keeper Michael Zetterer into a smart save.
As is so often the way with elite-level football, the visitors duly landed a sucker punch in the 21st minute, when Nathaniel Brown’s intelligent pass into Ansgar Knauff allowed the striker to outmuscle covering defenders before firing low and hard past Joan García.
Barça continued to take the initiative despite the initial shock, though their final ball was sorely lacking, with Frankfurt habitually putting at least two defenders on Lamine Yamal in particular.
Pedri and Raphinha were doing their utmost to break the lines, but the Germans held firm with relative ease, and Knauff’s brilliant set-up in first-half stoppage time saw Ellyes Skhiri fire a powerful effort just over as the visitors threatened again.
Two reasonable chances in the opening two minutes of the second half from Frankfurt signalled their intent to do more than sit back and protect their slender lead, whilst Raphinha should’ve done much better than lofting a cut back from substitute Marcus Rashford over the bar shortly after.
That was only a stay of execution for the Eagles’ lead though, as Rashford then delivered an incredible cross for Jules Kounde to head home the equaliser, before the Frenchman repeated the trick two minutes later as Frankfurt’s defenders stood statuesque.
Late on, Raphinha’s purposeful drive and shot was safely gathered by Zetterer, and as Barça continued to press, Frankfurt were left hitting hopeful long balls in search of an equaliser.
The match was very much the hosts to lose as proceedings entered the final stages, and with one or two worries notwithstanding, they eased to victory.
The result follows a familiar pattern for both sides, as 10 of Barcelona’s 14 UCL goals this season have arrived after half-time, whilst 12 of the last 14 goals that Frankfurt have conceded in the competition also came in the second half.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jules Kounde (Barcelona)