The UEFA Champions League Round of 16 encounter between Benfica and FC Barcelona was a tense and dramatic affair, with Barcelona emerging victorious 1-0 in Lisbon. Despite being reduced to 10 men early on, Barcelona displayed resilience and tactical discipline, taking a crucial advantage into the second leg at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium.
The situation for Barcelona became more difficult in the 22nd minute when defender Pau Cubarsí was shown a red card for a last-man foul. With one man down, the Blaugrana had to alter their tactics and focus on defending against Benfica’s offensive pressure. The hosts, benefiting from the extra player, pushed forward in search of a goal but were unable to take advantage of their numerical superiority.
The breakthrough came in the 62nd minute when Brazilian winger Raphinha netted a clinical goal, giving Barcelona a crucial away goal and a psychological edge for the second leg.
Although Benfica struggled to finish their chances, coach Bruno Lage remained optimistic about his team’s prospects in the return leg. Following the match, Lage expressed his belief that Benfica could still turn the tie around.
“We need to go to Barcelona and win to progress,” Lage said. “That’s the message we conveyed in the locker room. We must approach the match against Nacional and then prepare for Barcelona with that mentality.”
Benfica created several opportunities during the game but couldn’t convert. Lage highlighted the team’s offensive effort and expressed disappointment over missing key chances.
“We had a great opportunity with Akturkoglu in the first 20 seconds and ended with another excellent chance. Over 90 minutes, we had many chances. The most important thing is to appreciate our performance against a top team and recover quickly,” he added.
Lage, recalling previous experiences, remained hopeful of a comeback in Barcelona. He referenced their previous tie against AS Monaco, where they lost the first leg but managed to overturn the deficit in the return match.
“We had the same situation with Monaco, and we won there to decide the tie in the second leg. The result leaves us hopeful for the second match. Based on the chances we had, we could have had a different outcome, but it doesn’t diminish our ambition for the return leg,” he explained.
The red card to Cubarsí forced tactical adjustments for both teams. Barcelona had to defend deeper and play on the counter, while Benfica focused on breaking down a compact defense.
“The game changed with the red card. Initially, we tried to get behind the defense, but afterward, we had to push both full-backs forward and exploit the flanks,” Lage noted.
Despite the loss, Benfica still has everything to play for in the second leg. With a one-goal deficit, a strong performance in Barcelona could see them advance to the quarter-finals. However, they will need to overcome a resilient Barcelona team, which has shown tactical brilliance under Hansi Flick.
Barcelona, for their part, will aim to capitalize on their advantage and return with a full-strength squad. The second leg promises to be a thrilling encounter, with Benfica determined to make a comeback and Barcelona aiming to secure their place in the next round.
The pivotal match will take place next week at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to this European showdown. Will Barcelona seal the win at home, or can Benfica pull off a remarkable comeback? Only time will tell.
