Raphinha scored a beautiful long -haul strike when Barcelona Benfica overcame to get a slim lead on the first leg, even though he played most of the game with 10 men.
The Brazilian playmaker scored the only goal of the competition at the hour after Pau Comatsi had received a straight red card just 20 minutes after the game when he skyted Vangelis Pavlidis.
Hansi Flick’s team defended for 70 minutes and weathered the inevitable attack in Lisbon to end Benfica’s eight games unbeaten in all competitions.
For the hosts it will feel like a missed opportunity to win the upper hand in the tie. For Flick and Co. You will feel that you have given yourself a great chance of reaching up to the last eight.
🔥🔥🔥 full time! 🔥🔥🔥#Benficabarça @Ccchampionslagueague pic.twitter.com/rapapi6dcj
– FC Barcelona (@fcbarcelona) March 5, 2025
How the action develops
A loud Estadio da Luz has often proven to be a huge view for every visitor team, especially when Benfica is on the way.
Barcelona only knew that too well after he had just established himself in an exciting 5: 4 victory when the two sides met in the league in January.
And it looked like the fans in the Light stadium for another hectic evening were able to be called in action as Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Sczzesny in 30 seconds to keep Kerem Akturkoglu away.
It was a brilliant signal of the hosts’ intention, but the La Liga team quickly tried to calm the competition with their usual passing exchange.
Soon it was the turn of Benficas Shopper Anatoliy Trubin to show his value. The Ukrainian pulled out a number of wonderful parades after the ball found the way to Robert Lewandowski, but the visitors could not forced the ball home.
Barcelona’s hopes for a strong prediction in the first leg then got a strong blow when Cubarsi was shown a straight red card after only 20 minutes when he condemned to deny a chance when Pavlidis broke through.
Barcelona on 10 men! 🟥
Pau Comatarsi is sent out of a challenge for Vangelis Pavlidis outside the box
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It was far from how Flick imagined the evening. Benfica now felt a chance. Sczczesny saved well from Pavlidis before the head of Barcelona decided to strengthen his defense by replacing Dani Olmo with Ronald Araujo.
After the hosts were examined, the visitors would certainly have taken a goalless patts. But Barcelona weren’t long after the break.
Raphinha, who was in a sparkling form for the Catalan club, scored his 25th season goal and 43rd goal post in 40 games this season with a wonderful long-range strike.
Barcelona break the deadlock 🔓
It is déjà vu for Benfica when Raphinha followed the Estadio de Luz again with a large strike after Silva’s bad passport
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– Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 5, 2025
The Brazilian plunged onto the Benfica backline before loading a low left shot into the lower corner of the box into the lower corner.
Cue Wild scenes in the away of the away, when the visitors suddenly had something to hold on.
But there was still a long way in front of us. Not long afterwards, the hosts looked like they had a punishment when Andrea Belotti SCZCESNY passed over, but the striker was already offside.
At this point it was a disposable traffic when Benfica desperately searched for a goal. Joao Rego tried an overhead kick. Arthur Cabral caused chaos in the penalty area in Barcelona. SCZCESNY came to save the visitor again when he was delayed by Renato Sanches’ late.
In the end, her efforts ultimately proved to be fruitless when Barcelona took a slim advantage for the Spotify Camp Noub next week.
