Benfica 0-1 FC Barcelona: Raphinha becomes the hero of Lisbon again

FC Barcelona made a champion's statement in the Champions League 2024-25. The Blaugrana team visited the Estádio da Luz to face Benfica, and in a hostile environment with everything against them, they achieved a convincing victory (0-1) led by a monumental Raphinha, who pulled off a stunning goal from the 'hat' to allow the Catalans to take a key step towards qualifying for the quarter-finals.

The team of Hansi Flick faced a true test of fire against the squad led by Bruno Lage, making a statement of authority against a rival in a stadium where they already knew what it was like to win this season. In a new display of hierarchy and personality, the Catalans, supported by a Szczesny who became a giant, left Lisbon with a fundamental victory that allows them to return to Montjuïc for the second leg with an advantage on the aggregate score.

Flick fielded an unprecedented lineup against Benfica

FC Barcelona debuted an offensive sextet in Lisbon. Hansi Flick took to the pitch at the Estádio da Luz with all his 'weapons' and lined up his current 'first-choice eleven' against Benfica. Against the team led by Bruno Lage, the Blaugrana coach maintained his usual defense, with Szczesny in goal accompanied by Kounde, Iñigo, Cubarsí, and Balde. The latter two returned to the starting lineup after resting against Real Sociedad last weekend during matchday 26 of LaLiga.

However, from midfield onward, something never seen this season was observed. Flick opted for six players who had never played together this season, choosing a midfield composed of Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, and Dani Olmo, and an attacking trio made up of Lamine, Raphinha, and Lewandowski. However, the experiment lasted little on the field, as the expulsion of Pau Cubarsí forced the coach to adjust his system to a more defensive one to protect the score.

An eventful first half for Barça

The match began at a very high and vibrant competitive pace. Barely a minute had passed since the referee's initial whistle when Szczesny was forced to make a spectacular save from a low shot by Aktürkoglu that was heading for the post. The response from the Catalans came quickly, as at the 3' mark Dani Olmo sent a brutal shot from outside the area that went just wide.

The match calmed down after a few overwhelming minutes, but the Da Luz was still a true cauldron and the locals sought to assert themselves on the pitch. The plan was very clear, with the Blaugrana playing with their already famous high defense and taking the initiative, while the 'eagles' waited crouched in their half aiming to strike on the counter.

At the 13th minute, however, a miracle occurred in Trubin's area. Lewandowski made a first-time shot from a cross by Raphinha and the goalkeeper parried it, but the ball remained dead in the six-yard box and the Pole shot again, forcing the Ukrainian to make a saving stop. Finally, Lamine tried to capitalize on the rebound but his shot was weak and went straight to the goalkeeper, who put cold towels on an action where it is inexplicable how the Catalans did not open the scoring.

The team of Flick lost their bite in the following minutes and received a harsh blow at the 21'. Pavlidis broke free to face Szczesny and Pau Cubarsí dove to the ground and brought him down at the edge of the area without touching the ball, so Felix Zwayer showed him the red card.

The expulsion of the center-back quelled a match that had been at a breakneck pace for 20 minutes. Barça sought to defend closer to 'Tek's' area and the Lisbon team did not translate their numerical superiority into play, generating little to nothing offensively. Thus, the match went to halftime with the score tied at zero and everything to define in the second half.

The expulsion of Cubarsí was not without controversy

Pau Cubarsí left FC Barcelona with ten men in the 22nd minute against Benfica in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. The Blaugrana center-back made the worst decision by bringing down the Greek Vangelis Pavlidis at the edge of the area, just as the local forward was heading for a one-on-one with Wojciech Szczesny. The '2' took too much risk and, failing to make contact with the ball, ended up taking down the 'eagles' scorer.

The referee Felix Zwayer did not hesitate to show the red card to the 18-year-old defender, as he was the last man in the action. However, Pavlidis's run was preceded by a possible foul on Frenkie de Jong in midfield while contesting an aerial ball, which was overlooked by the German referee. The decision was confirmed by VAR and, on the free kick, Szczesny prevented a goal from Kocku with a fantastic save.

For Cubarsí, it is the first red card of his career and it revived the nightmare unleashed last season, in the quarter-finals against Paris Saint-Germain, when Ronald Araujo saw a direct red card in the return leg, also in the first half (29th minute).

VAR was back to its antics in Europe

FC Barcelona held the draw against Benfica in a first half where Hansi Flick's team was clearly harmed by the refereeing. In addition to the possible foul prior to Cubarsí's expulsion in the 22nd minute, referee Felix Zwayer overlooked a clear red card for Luxembourg's Leandro Barreiro on the brink of halftime.

The midfielder arrived late to a loose ball, stamping his studs on the right leg of Iñigo Martínez, who managed to slide in time to win the dispute. The German referee resolved the stomp with a yellow card, a decision that was backed by the also German Bastian Dankert from VAR. With this, Benfica maintained their numerical advantage going into the second half, a key factor in leveling the pace of a match where the Catalans were clear dominators in the first 20 minutes.

To make matters worse, Zwayer booked Iñigo for protesting, with the Basque being the one affected by Barreiro's harsh tackle. The '5' Catalan angrily threw his shin guard to the ground, seeing that the referees dismissed even reviewing the tackle for the possibility of overturning the yellow for a red. The same happened with Ronald Araujo, who also protested the referee's decision and thus ended the first half cautioned.

Raphinha was once again the 'hero' of Lisbon

Upon returning from halftime, Benfica came out with a knife between their teeth aiming to take advantage of their numerical superiority on the field and pressed in attack, forcing Szczesny to make several commendable saves to prevent his goal from falling in the early minutes of the second half.

After about 15' of local pressure, Barça managed to regroup on the pitch and would quickly get their reward. Raphinha appeared behind Carreras to intercept a risky pass from António Silva. The '11' Blaugrana found himself facing Trubin's goal and sent a perfect low shot, which curled in to enter snugly against the post of the Lisbon goal, putting the Catalans ahead.

The stunning goal from 'Rapha', who once again donned the hero's cape in Da Luz just as he did in the league phase by scoring the winning goal at the last gasp, was a dagger to the heart for the 'eagles', who had everything in their favor to achieve a positive result. However, the champion character of Flick's Barça proved stronger than any obstacle.

The last minutes of the match were not for the faint-hearted. At the 80', the referee awarded a penalty to the Portuguese for an alleged foul by 'Tek' on Belotti, but VAR overturned the decision for an offside prior. Bruno Lage's team pinned the Catalans in their area with a series of corners, but the defense held firm like a wall and, supported by the Polish's brutal saves (8 in total), managed to maintain the zero and left Lisbon territory with a key victory that leaves them with one foot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Szczesny justified Hansi Flick's faith

The match of Wojciech Szczesny against Benfica will go down in the golden books of the competition. The 34-year-old Pole's performance between the sticks was a true recital, being one of the fundamental pillars of the Catalans' triumph in an always difficult stadium.

In total, 'Tek' made eight saves, most of them of absolute merit, and saved two key goals. The first of these occurred in the first minute when he made a miraculous hand to prevent a possible goal from Aktürkoglu, while as the match was dying down, at 90+3', the goalkeeper excellently resolved a powerful shot from Renato Sanches from the edge of the area.

Szczesny, in this way, maintains his unbeaten record in all competitions, with a balance of 12 wins and 2 draws, and records his eighth clean sheet in the 14 matches he has played this season. The goalkeeper has responded to Hansi Flick's trust, who has been vindicated by time in his risky bet to establish as his starter what is now the new 'wall' of Barça.

Match technical sheet:    

• Benfica, 0: Anatolii Trubin (P); Tomás Araújo (Dahl, min. 57), Nicolás Otamendi, António Silva, Álvaro Carreras; Orkun Kökçü (Renato Sanches, min. 84), Leandro Barreiro (Belotti, min. 70), Fredrik Aursnes; Andreas Schjelderup (Rego, min. 70), Vangelis Pavlidis (Cabral, min. 84), Kerem Aktürkoglu.
• FC Barcelona, 1: Szczesny (P); Koundé, Pau Cubarsí, Iñigo Martínez, Balde; Frenkie de Jong (Casadó, min. 79), Pedri, Dani Olmo (Araujo, min. 28); Lamine Yamal (Ferran Torres, min. 56), Raphinha, Lewandowski (Gerard Martín, min. 78).
• Goals: 0-1 Raphinha (min. 61).
• Referee: Felix Zwayer. Booked the Lisbon players Barreiro, António Silva, Carreras, and Rego, and the Catalans Iñigo Martínez and Ronald Araujo. Also sent off Pau Cubarsí.