Raphinha Fires 10-Man Barcelona To Victory Over Benfica.
Raphinha once again proved to be Barcelona’s match-winner as the Catalan giants secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
Despite being reduced to 10 men early in the match, Xavi’s side dug deep to claim a crucial away win, with Raphinha capitalising on a defensive error to slot home in the 61st minute. The Brazilian’s composed finish into the bottom corner marked his 25th goal of the season and ninth in this year’s Champions League campaign.
It was not the first time Raphinha had come to Barcelona’s rescue against Benfica. Back in January, he netted a dramatic 96th-minute winner in a thrilling 5-4 group-stage encounter between the two sides.
Barcelona’s task in this latest showdown became significantly harder in the 22nd minute when 18-year-old Pau Cubarsí received a straight red card. The teenager brought down Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis just outside the penalty box, leaving the visitors to battle with a numerical disadvantage for over an hour.
Benfica pressed for an equaliser and thought they had won a penalty in the 82nd minute when Wojciech Szczęsny brought down Andrea Belotti. However, after a VAR review, the decision was overturned due to an offside in the build-up.
Barcelona managed to hold on, securing a narrow advantage ahead of the second leg at Camp Nou on Tuesday, 11 March.
Szczęsny’s Redemption After January Struggles
Their previous meeting in Lisbon had been a chaotic affair, with Raphinha’s late heroics sealing a 5-4 win. This time around, the first half suggested another open contest, as Kerem Akturkoglu forced Szczęsny into an early save before Dani Olmo went close at the other end.
Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin produced a stunning triple save to deny both Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal, keeping the hosts level.
Barcelona’s aggressive high defensive line gave Benfica opportunities, ultimately leading to Cubarsí’s red card for his last-ditch tackle on Pavlidis.
Pavlidis, who had scored a hat-trick in their last encounter and was in fine form with 10 goals in his last seven appearances, had a golden opportunity early in the second half. However, he scooped his shot over the bar from Alvaro Carreras’ cutback, before Szczęsny denied him again moments later with a brilliant reaction save.
Benfica dominated much of the second half, registering 15 shots with five on target, but they were undone by Raphinha’s clinical strike. A late barrage of corners and a powerful Renato Sanches effort tested Szczęsny, but the Polish goalkeeper stood firm, making up for his struggles in January when he was at fault for two Benfica goals.
Benfica will now face a challenging task in the second leg while Barcelona, unbeaten in 16 matches across all competitions, will look to finish the job at home.
