Barça, after regaining the lead in LaLiga EA Sports, returned to the Champions League on Wednesday against Benfica, with the aim of replicating in the round of 16 the good play and striking ability they have exhibited in the Spanish domestic tournament in recent weeks and presenting their candidacy for the title of the top continental competition. And the fact is that since they finished the first phase of the Champions League as runners-up with an inconsequential draw against Atalanta (2-2) at the end of January, the Azulgranas have achieved six victories in LaLiga and a draw in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals, with a balance of 21 goals scored and 5 conceded.
An early sending off for Cubarsí affected Hansi Flick’s game plan against Benfica, but the Catalans survived thanks to an XXL Szczesny who was a real wall for his team and a Raphinha who scored the only goal of the game, giving a valuable win to the Catalans who will arrive at Montjuic with an advantage.
Intense start
Benfica started well, giving several warnings, one in which Szczesny had to make a spectacular save with his hand to prevent Aktürkogluen from scoring in the first move. But Barça soon replied, with a sharp shot from Dani Olmo from the edge of the area that went narrowly wide. Hansi Flick’s side soon took control of the ball and began to dominate. Barça’s dominance translated into approaches to the area of a Trubin who was on top form. The local goalkeeper made three consecutive saves from shots in the small area. The second one to Lewandowski was simply spectacular.
As was to be expected from two attacking teams, the approaches were not only on one side, Szczesny again got a good hand down, although this shot was from further out. Subsequently the play was disallowed for Barreiro’s prior offside. Barça lost their bite. Benfica’s attacks affected the Azulgrana team, who were trying to extend their possessions. They lacked width in attack: too much play inside. Flick’s men needed Lamine and Balde more.
Barça are down to 10 men
20 minutes into the game, Curbasí was shown a straight red card. He ran Pavlidis over as the last defender at the edge of the area. He said he had touched the ball and Barça appealed for a previous foul, however, the VAR confirmed the German referee’s decision. With the sending off, Araujo came on in defense and Dani Olmo was sacrificed.
After the sending off, the home side kept pushing. Kokçu took a free kick and the Polish goalkeeper, who was showing why Flick trusts him so much, cleared it. With one less, Barça did not back down. Although they wanted to minimize risks, they did not want to give up winning the game. Flares, fireworks and all kinds of pyrotechnics in one of the stands led the referee to stop the match for a few moments.
The smoke from the flares did not slow Lamine Yamal down. António Silva prevented the young winger from finishing Raphinha’s low pass at the far post. With a numerical disadvantage, Barça tried out a new system with Szczesny, who had a great game, playing long balls looking for the men up front. On the stroke of half-time, Carreras saved to keep the score at 0-0 at the break. Raphinha found himself alone in the area, but looked for a pass when it seemed like an ideal place to shoot.
Raphinha puts Barça ahead
Szczesny continued to show in the second half what a great game he was playing against a Benfica side that kept pressing. Pedri gave some breathing space to a Barça side in which Hansi Flick surprisingly took off Lamine Yamal and brought on Ferran Torres, Raphinha moved to the right. A Raphinha who would open the scoring. The Brazilian stole the ball in the opposition half and fired in a wonderful low shot across the goal. He appeared from behind Carreras to collect a risky pass from António Silva. His shot was simply perfect, low and curling away to go in close to the post and beat Trubin.
Barça more than overcame the adversities and were hungry for more. Benfica didn’t collapse either after the goal and often forced Hansi Flick’s men to scramble for possession. Solid in defense, Araujo and a Szczesny who was a wall kept the Azulgranas’ lead at Da Luz. In the final stretch of the game, Barça were spared. The referee had awarded a penalty, but there had been an earlier offside. Belloti had fallen while trying to get past Szczesny.
The scoreboard would not move again at the Estadio da Luz. Raphinha would open the scoring and Szczesny would keep his team alive after playing a good part of the game with one man less.
Benfica 0-1 Barça
Match Report
Benfica: Anatolii Trubin, Álvaro Carreras, Nicolás Otamendi, António Silva, Tomás Araújo (Dahl, 57), Orkun Kökçü (Renato Sanches, 84), Leandro Barreiro (João Rêgo, 70), Fredrik Aursnes, Andreas Schjelderup (Belloti, 70), Vangelis Pavlidis (Cabral, 84), Kerem Aktürkoglu
FC Barcelona: Wojciech Szczesny, Alejandro Balde, Iñigo Martínez, Pau Cubarsí, Jules Koundé, Pedri, Frenkie de Jong (Casadó, min 78), Raphinha, Dani Olmo (Araujo, min 26), Lamine Yamal (Ferran Torres, min 55), Robert Lewandowski (Gerard Martin, min 78)
Goals: 0-1, min 61: Raphinha.
Referee: Felix Zwayer (Germany). Bookings: Curbasí (min 21 direct red), Barreiro (min 44), Iñigo Martínez (min 46), Antonio Silva (min 50), Carreras (min 73)
Incidents: first leg of the Champions League round of 16 played at the Estadio da Luz, Lisbon