Benfica to go into crucial round of 16 clash with Barça without one of its stars

FC Barcelona is already aware that SL Benfica will arrive in the City of Barcelona to face the match corresponding to the second leg of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 without one of their best attacking weapons. It has been revealed that the Lisbon team will not be able to count on the 'noodle', Ángel Di María, as he has not recovered in time from the physical setback that afflicts him and, therefore, will not be part of the available players for Bruno Lage for the showdown against the Blaugrana.

It should be noted that the 37-year-old Argentine forward suffered a muscle injury in his left thigh on February 12 during the 'playoff' match between AS Monaco and Benfica (0-1), leading him to miss a total of six matches so far and be unable to participate in the match against FC Barcelona, a team against which he is usually productive by scoring four goals and providing four assists in 20 encounters.

"I already said he was one of my favorite players. I won't talk about players who won't be here. He is a fantastic and dangerous player despite his age," commented Hansi Flick in a press conference regarding Di María's absence

The Lisbon team had hoped to have Di María for the clash against FC Barcelona

With this absence, SL Benfica is left without one of their top strikers, who has scored 14 goals and provided eight assists so far in the 2024-25 season. They had hoped to have him for this match, as it was anticipated that, although he would miss the first leg of the round of 16 against FC Barcelona, he would be ready for the return leg, exactly four weeks after the expected downtime for this injury.

However, his exclusion even from the squad in the match last Saturday, March 8, against CD Nacional (3-0) already indicated that the Argentine was not at 100% to face a match of such magnitude.

Di María's absence is not the only significant setback for Benfica in the match against Barça

This will be one of the most deeply felt absences for Bruno Lage, who also knows that for the encounter against FC Barcelona, they will not be able to count on the great Spanish left-back, Álvaro Carreras. The Ferrol native will not be available not due to injury but due to suspension, having received a yellow card in the match against the Blaugrana, accumulating a total of five cautions so far in the tournament.

SL Benfica's Injured Players 🏥:

• ❌ Tiago Gouveia (knee injury)
• ❌ Alexander Bah (complete rupture of the left anterior cruciate ligament)
• ❌ Manu Silva (complete rupture of the left anterior cruciate ligament)
• ❌ Ángel Di María (muscle injury in the left thigh)

Fortunately for Bruno Lage, he will be able to count on the return of Florentino Luis for this match, who was already called up in the previous match against CD Nacional and is fit to play. Additionally, he will also have Tomás Araújo, who could not participate in the Lisbon team's last match due to a muscular overload, but is expected to be available for the showdown against Barcelona at Montjuïc.