Benfica manager Bruno Lage still expects an exciting collision with Barcelona in the Champions League after their nine-goal Thriller in the group stage in January.
Raphinha's goal in the sixth minute of the second half of the stopping time, sealed a 5-4 victory in front of Hansi Flick, despite the fact that Benfica led 3-1 at the break in the game.
Indeed, it was the first game in the history of Champions League that ended with that score, in which Barcelona only became the second side in the history of the competition to win a competition, despite the fact that he has admitted four or more goals.
Of the 40 times Benfica scored that number of goals in a European home game, that was also the only opportunity they hadn't won (W39).
And Low said that his Benfica side will remain faithful to their identity of attacking football when they take on Barcelona again in the first stage of their last 16 collision on Wednesday.
“I can't predict how many goals in the game will be scored, but I can predict a great football game because they are two teams with an eye for attack,” Lage said.
“I think it will be a tough game, and we will go out for the victory. Of course the result of tomorrow will be important, but the result of the second stage will be more decisive.
“We are going against a great team that scores many goals, but we also look at the positive things we have done against this opponent.
“The number of opportunities we have had, the number of times we have had for the goalkeeper. We believe that we can get through this draw.”
Benfica supporters, however, will want a different result than that competition phase-colleague, who have seen Hattrick Count Vangelis Pavlidis' first half.
They have won two of their first three home games against Spanish parties in the European competition, but have since won two of their last 12 of such competitions (D4 L6).
But given the form of Benfica in the competition this season, many will expect fireworks at the Estadio da Luz.
Their 10 games in the Champions League have seen 35 goals this season, while only in an earlier edition of the competition had a higher goals per game ratio in the competition (3.9 in 2022-23, 26 against, 13 against).
Lage will be Angel Di Maria and Florentino on Wednesday without important midfielders, but was more optimistic about the involvement of Renato Sanches in the game.
“The most important thing is that the team functions as a team as a whole, regardless of who plays,” said Lage.
“We will try to find the spaces that our rivals offer us because they often do that.
“We need to know how we can benefit from the spaces that Barcelona will give us, that should be the key.”
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