Barcelona secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Benfica in the Champions League Round of 16 first leg.
The Catalan giants battled through adversity, playing with ten men for over 70 minutes, but Raphinha’s stunning goal proved to be the difference.
A Battle at Estádio da Luz
The match began with high intensity as Benfica pushed forward, hoping to exploit home advantage.
Within the first minute, Wojciech Szczesny was forced into a save to deny Kerem Aktürkoglu.
Barcelona responded with dangerous attacking moves, with Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski coming close early on.
The game took a dramatic turn in the 21st minute when Barcelona’s young defender Pau Cubarsí was sent off for a last-man foul on Vangelis Pavlidis.
With a numerical disadvantage, Barcelona had to dig deep to withstand Benfica’s attacking waves.
Raphinha Strikes as Barca Hold Firm
Despite being a man down, Barcelona showed composure in defense while waiting for counter-attacking chances.
Their patience paid off in the 60th minute when Raphinha unleashed a left-footed strike from outside the box, finding the bottom right corner.
The goal stunned the Benfica crowd and put Barcelona in control.
Benfica intensified their attacks, forcing corners and creating goal-scoring chances.
Arthur Cabral and Renato Sanches had shots on target, but Szczesny produced excellent saves to keep his team ahead.
The Catalan defense, led by Ronald Araujo and Jules Koundé, made crucial blocks to deny the hosts.
Benfica’s Late Push Falls Short
As the clock ticked down, Benfica increased the pressure, sending in cross after cross.
Andrea Belotti thought he had won a penalty in the dying moments, but the offside flag nullified the decision.
With four minutes of added time, Barcelona stayed firm, showing resilience and tactical discipline.
When the final whistle blew, Barcelona celebrated a massive away victory.
Benfica had dominated possession and created more chances, but their failure to convert cost them dearly.
What This Means for Barcelona
This victory gives Barcelona a strong advantage heading into the second leg.
Despite going down to ten men early, their defensive discipline and Raphinha’s brilliance ensured they held on for a precious win.
Benfica, on the other hand, will feel disappointed but still have a chance to turn things around in the return fixture.
They will need to be sharper in front of goal if they hope to overturn the deficit.
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