Raphinha stunner offers ten-man guests first-leg benefit

Raphinha scored a beautiful long-range strike as Barcelona overcame Benfica to achieve a slender first-leg benefit regardless of enjoying a lot of the recreation with 10 males.

The Brazilian playmaker bagged the one aim of the competition on the hour mark after Pau Cubarsi had been given a straight pink card simply 20 minutes into the match when he scythed down Vangelis Pavlidis.

Hansi Flick’s facet defended resolutely for 70 minutes, weathering the inevitable attacking onslaught in Lisbon to finish Benfica’s eight match unbeaten run in all competitions.

For the hosts, it’s going to really feel like a missed alternative to achieve the higher hand within the tie. For Flick and co. they may really feel as if they’ve given themselves a fantastic likelihood to progress to the final eight.

🔥🔥🔥 FULL TIME! 🔥🔥🔥#BenficaBarça @ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/raPAPi6dCJ

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 5, 2025

How the motion unfolded

A raucous Estadio da Luz has typically proved a formidable prospect for any visiting crew, particularly when Benfica are on their mettle.

Barcelona knew that every one too nicely, having solely simply prevailed in an exciting 5-4 victory when the 2 sides met within the league section again in January.

And it appeared just like the followers contained in the Stadium of Gentle might be in for one more frantic night as, inside 30 seconds, Barcelona keeper Wojciech Sczczesny was known as into motion to maintain out Kerem Akturkoglu.

It was a blistering sign of intent from the hosts however the La Liga facet shortly appeared to calm the competition with their standard passing interchanges.

It was then quickly the flip of Benfica’s shotstopper, Anatoliy Trubin, to indicate his value. The Ukrainian pulled out a string of fantastic saves after the ball discovered its solution to Robert Lewandowski, however the guests didn’t pressure the ball house.

Barcelona’s hopes of a robust first-leg displaying was then handed a hefty blow when, after simply 20 minutes, Cubarsi was proven a straight pink card when he was adjudged to have denied a goalscoring likelihood as Pavlidis burst by.

BARCELONA DOWN TO 10 MEN! 🟥

Pau Cubarsi is shipped off for a problem on Vangelis Pavlidis exterior the field

📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/yiDocQTxEm

— Soccer on TNT Sports activities (@footballontnt) March 5, 2025

It was removed from how Flick envisioned the night enjoying out. Benfica, in the meantime, sensed a possibility. Sczczesny saved nicely from Pavlidis earlier than the Barcelona boss opted to bolster his defence by changing Dani Olmo with Ronald Araujo.

With the hosts probing, the guests would certainly have taken a goalless stalemate. However not lengthy after the break, Barcelona had been those to interrupt the impasse.

Raphinha, who has been in scintillating kind for the Catalan membership, bagged his twenty fifth aim of the season – and forty third aim contribution in 40 video games this time period – with a beautiful long-rang strike.

BARCELONA BREAK THE DEADLOCK 🔓

It’s déjà vu for Benfica as Raphinha haunts the Estadio de Luz once more with an extended vary strike following Silva’s poor move

📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/LyWJ4zHkur

— Soccer on TNT Sports activities (@footballontnt) March 5, 2025

Pouncing on a Benfica error, the Brazilian charged down on the Benfica backline earlier than arrowing a low left-footed shot into the underside nook from the sting of the field.

Cue wild scenes within the away dugout because the guests immediately had one thing to cling on to.

However there was nonetheless an extended solution to go. Not lengthy after, the hosts then appeared like they could have had a penalty when Andrea Belotti went over Sczcesny, however the striker was already offside.

By this level, it was one-way visitors as Benfica desperately went in the hunt for a aim. Joao Rego tried an overhead-kick. Arthur Cabral precipitated chaos within the Barcelona penalty space. Sczcesny once more got here to the customer’s rescue when batted away Renato Sanches’ late effort.

Ultimately, their efforts in the end proved fruitless as Barcelona held on to take a slender benefit again to the Spotify Camp Nou subsequent week.