Surprising! Hansi debuted an unusual starting eleven against Benfica

FC Barcelona defeated Benfica (3-1) on Tuesday in a flawless match for the team led by Hansi Flick. The culés secured their qualification to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League with two goals from Raphinha and one from Lamine Yamal in the first half, in a match that had a very curious peculiarity on the part of the Catalans.

And it is that, while the lineup of Barça against the Portuguese might seem somewhat predictable, considering the absence of Pau Cubarsí (suspended) and the good form of players like Frenkie de Jong and Dani Olmo, Tuesday's was an unprecedented XI for the azulgrana this season. Against Benfica, it was the first time the culés took the field as follows:

• Szczesny; Koundé, Araujo, Iñigo, Balde; De Jong, Pedri, Olmo; Lamine, Raphinha, and Lewandowski.

Araujo and Dani Olmo, together for the first time in a Champions XI 

The reason for the debut of the starting XI against Benfica lies in the fact that both Szczesny and Araujo debuted this season on January 4, while Olmo had only been a starter this year, in the Champions, in the first leg of the round of 16 in Lisbon. That day, the player from Terrassa was the 'sacrificed' one after Cubarsí's expulsion, leaving his place on the field, coincidentally, to Ronald.

In that sense, Flick has taken advantage of having most of the squad available recently in the second half of the season to make adjustments to his star XI. At that moment, both Dani and Frenkie de Jong seem to have regained their starting positions, while Araujo has also stepped up following Pau's expulsion last week.

"Our goal is to win the Champions, but we know it is the most complicated trophy to win", argued the coach in the post-match press conference. Well, the coaching staff now has enough depth to rotate intelligently, although the upcoming international break threatens the physical stability of the squad as they head into the final stretch of the season.