Barcelona is in pole position to reach the quarterfinals of the Champions League after winning a 1-0 win over Benfica in the first stage of their round of 16 draw at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.
2024/2025 UEFA Champions League
0-1
- Cubarsi (22 ')
- Raphinha (61 ')
Match report
The side of Hansi Flick was almost 1-0 within 18 seconds when Kerem Akturkoglu was played, but Wojciech Szczesny made a huge rescue. Shortly thereafter, Barcelona should have continued, but for a triple rescue by Benfica -goalkeeper Anatoliy Truin, who denied Dani Olmo, Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal up close.
At 22 minutes the Dynamic game took a big turn when Barcelona was reduced to 10 men. Vangelis Pavlidis ran on on goal and just before he reached the penalty area, he was brought down by Pau Cubarsi. The young defender claimed that he won the ball, but showed repetitions that he didn't. As such, he was sent by referee Felix Zwayer, with the decision confirmed by VAR.
Benfica could not find a goal in the first 60 minutes, and they were made to pay for that when Barcelona scored against the game. A bad pass from defender Antonio Silva was intercepted by Raphinha, who raced to the goal before he fired an unstoppable attempt beyond Trubin and in the far corner, who caused joyful scenes between Flick and his coaching staff in the Dugout.
Benfica started to become more desperate after admitting, and they thought they had won a penalty when replacement Andrea Belotti was polluted in the area by Szczesny, but the Italian striker was offside, which was confirmed after a VAR control.
Szczesny made a total of eight Saves, who the last in the final phase of a nice attack by Renato Sanches. In the end he was able to hang on his clean leaf, and it means that Barcelona has an advantage of one goal in the second stage in the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Company in six days.
Match -Events
0 'The game is about to start!
1 'Barcelona's mistake, Aktürkoğlu almost scored from a tight corner
2 'Dani Olmo's right exchange from outside the box
9 'Cubarsí's header from the center of the box is stored
13 'Barcelona kept printing, but Truin denied them with three straight saves
14 'Kjeldtrup shot off the cross, but Szczesny denied him with a diving saving
22 'Red card! Pau Cubarsí sent after he had taken Vangelis Pavlidis
25 'Kökçü's direct free kick was saved and Pavlidis went wide wide
28 'Strengthen the defense! Araujo came up as a replacement and replaces Olmo
35 'Fireworks were deposited in the stands and the referee stopped the game briefly
39 'Smoke filled the field, hoping that it would not hinder the vision of the players
43 'Aktürkoğlu's header is refused by Szczęsny, who comes out to block the shot
45 'yellow card! Leandro Barreiro booked
47 'yellow card! I. Martinez booked
47 'Kökçü stuck for the first time, but Szczęsny dives to save the ball
51 'Aursnes shoots powerfully, but Szczęsny saves the ball again
56 'Ferran Torres immersed for Yamal
61 'goal! Raphinha gives 10-man visitors the lead! Benfica 0-1 Barcelona
71 'Pavlidis shoots from a tight corner, but Koundé blocks the ball
77 'Aktürkoğlu checks and shoots, but Szczęsny collects the ball
79 'Lewandowski and De Jong leave, with Casado and Geraint Martin immersed in
83 'Szczęsny Ferries Belotti, but the referee indicates offside point and cancels the penalty
Line-ups
Benfica XI: Otamendi, Fredrik Aurnes, Vangelis Pavlidis, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Leandro Barreiro, Orkun Kökçü, Anatoliy Truin, Tomás Arajo, Álvaro Silvas, Andreas Schjelderup, Antónaa
Subs: Belotti, R.Sanches, Arthur Cabral, Adrian Bajrami, Samuel Dahl, Samuel Soares, Hugo Félix, Nuno Félix, Diogo Prioste, Gianluca Prestianni, João Rego, Leandro Santos
Barcelona XI: Szczesny, Lewandowski, I. Martinez, Olmo, De Jong, Raphinha, Kounde, Pedri, Bald, Yamal, Cubarsi
Subs: Pena, Ferran Torres, Araujo, Eric Garcia, Fati, Casado, Pau Víctor, Pablo Torre, Fermín López, Gerard Martín, Héctor Fort, Diego Kochen
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