Barcelona secured a narrow victory over Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, with Raphinha once again proving decisive. Despite playing with 10 men for most of the match, the Catalan giants found a way to win thanks to the Brazilian’s composed finish in the 61st minute.
The winger pounced on a defensive lapse, surging forward before calmly slotting the ball into the bottom corner. His strike marked his 25th goal of the season and his ninth in this European campaign.
Raphinha had previously rescued his side in January during their thrilling 5-4 group-stage encounter, netting a dramatic winner in stoppage time. This time, Barcelona had to overcome an early setback when Pau Cubarsí was sent off in the 22nd minute for fouling Vangelis Pavlidis just outside the penalty area.
Benfica had a chance to level late on when Wojciech Szczesny appeared to foul Andrea Belotti inside the box, but the penalty decision was overturned due to an offside in the buildup. With the win, Barcelona take a slender advantage into the second leg at Camp Nou on March 11.
Goalkeeper bounces back after previous struggles
The last meeting between these teams in Lisbon was a chaotic spectacle, and the opening stages suggested another thrilling contest. Benfica’s Kerem Akturkoglu tested Szczesny early, while Dani Olmo went close at the other end.
Anatoliy Trubin produced an outstanding sequence of saves, denying both Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal before collecting the final effort. However, Benfica exploited Barcelona’s aggressive defensive line, leading to Cubarsí’s desperate challenge on Pavlidis, which reduced the visitors to 10 men.
Despite the disadvantage, Barcelona remained disciplined. Benfica should have capitalized when Pavlidis failed to convert Alvaro Carreras’ cutback, missing the target from close range. Moments later, Szczesny redeemed himself with a sharp save to deny the Greek striker.
Raphinha’s decisive strike and tense finale
Benfica dominated possession after the break, registering 15 shots with five on target. However, Barcelona were clinical when it mattered. With their only effort on goal in the second half, Raphinha made the difference, firing home to give his team the lead.
The hosts pushed for an equalizer, applying pressure in the closing minutes with a series of corners. Szczesny, who had been heavily criticized after conceding four goals in January’s encounter, delivered a crucial save from Renato Sanches to maintain Barcelona’s advantage.
The late penalty controversy added to the drama, but the offside ruling spared the Polish goalkeeper. With this hard-fought win, Barcelona extended their unbeaten streak to 16 matches in all competitions, leaving Benfica facing a difficult challenge in the return leg.
