Barcelona clinched a gritty 1-0 victory over Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday. Despite being reduced to 10 men early in the match, Barcelona showcased resilience and determination, with Raphinha’s decisive goal and Wojciech Szczesny’s goalkeeping masterclass stealing the spotlight.
Key Highlights
Match: Champions League last-16, first leg
Result: Barcelona 1-0 Benfica
Goal: Raphinha (61st minute)
Red Card: Pau Cubarsí (22nd minute)
Man of the Match: Wojciech Szczesny
Early Setback: Pau Cubarsí’s Red Card
The match took a dramatic turn in the 22nd minute when Barcelona’s teenage defender, Pau Cubarsí, was shown a straight red card. He committed a last-man foul on Vangelis Pavlidis, leaving Barcelona to battle with 10 players for most of the match.
Szczesny Shines in Goal
Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who came out of retirement to replace the injured Marc-André ter Stegen, delivered a stellar performance:
Eight Saves: Five in the second half as Benfica turned up the pressure
Early Heroics: Saved a low strike from Kerem Akturkoglu just 30 seconds into the match
Reflex Mastery: Denied Fredrik Aursnes from close range and parried Renato Sanches’s powerful strike in added time
Pedri Praises Szczesny
Barcelona midfielder Pedri applauded Szczesny’s contributions, telling Movistar Plus:
“Szczesny saved us many times today, he is outstanding. You have to give a lot of credit for the team’s effort after going a man down so early in the game.”
Raphinha’s Decisive Strike
In the 61st minute, Barcelona capitalised on a defensive error from Benfica:
Critical Moment: Raphinha intercepted a poor defensive pass
Clinical Finish: His low shot deflected off a defender, nestling just inside the left post
Limited Chances: Barcelona had only two shots in the second half, with Raphinha’s strike being the sole shot on target
Benfica’s Missed Opportunities
Despite dominating possession (over 60%) and creating 15 goal attempts, Benfica failed to find the net. Midfielder Fredrik Aursnes expressed his disappointment to Benfica TV:
“It’s a bad result. We created a lot of chances, but unfortunately we didn’t manage to score and paid a heavy price for that.”
What’s Next?
Barcelona heads into the second leg with a crucial advantage but will need to maintain their defensive discipline. Benfica will be aiming to turn their missed opportunities into goals as they seek a comeback.
Sources
Movistar Plus
Benfica TV