Three takeaways from Benfica 0-1 Barcelona

Each journey of Barcelona’s to Lisbon finally ends up being eventful, and final night time was no completely different as they confronted off in opposition to Benfica within the Spherical of 16 of the UEFA Champions League.

Regardless of a vivid begin, the Catalans appeared to have dug their very own grave within the competitors as soon as extra when Pau Cubarsi unnecessarily dived right into a harmful problem simply exterior the field and was immediately despatched off for his sort out.

Benfica, because the hosts and with a person benefit, started urgent onerous for a lead however got here up brief repeatedly.

Barcelona, in the meantime, pounced on a half-chance within the second half as Raphinha pummelled the ball previous the Benfica goalkeeper and took the lead in opposition to the run of play.

The Catalans at the moment are forward by one aim on combination after a particular efficiency and can be assured of progressing subsequent week with a draw or a win.

Barça Common brings you three takeaways from Benfica 0-1 Barcelona.

Barcelona are now not the identical

Barcelona have a historical past of sabotaging themselves within the UEFA Champions League and exited the competitors final season solely after a Ronald Araujo pink card noticed them lose management of the sport in opposition to PSG.

Watching Pau Cubarsi make an identical rookie error early on final night time, thus, introduced flashbacks of the crew’s UCL horrors previously and ready followers for an additional humbling.

Simply watching Barcelona proceed to play unfazed, handle the sport brilliantly, preserve Benfica underneath management and even go on to win regardless of being a person down left followers the world over with jaws dropped.

It’s protected to say that the Catalans are now not the timid, fragile model of themselves who bought trampled in Europe lately.

It was within the twenty second minute that Cubarsi had himself despatched off, however neither did Hansi Flick nor his gamers flinch. The supervisor took Dani Olmo off for Araujo to revive defensive soundness and the crew shifted to a low-block, resisting Benfica’s strain.

Not solely did they preserve the hosts at bay however they quickly started rising into the sport and orchestrating harmful counter-attacks in opposition to Benfica regardless of having one participant much less.

The change in mentality of the dressing room and the younger squad, at this level, is solely unbelievable. It has come an excessive amount of, too quick and it seems too good to be true.

But, all of that’s nothing however the highest of reward for Flick. The world he has put in with the dressing room is actually gargantuan and he has made it a crew that really believes of their capacity to win no matter the scenario.

Szczesny comes full circle

Szczesny was good vs Benfica. (Photograph by David Ramos/Getty Pictures)

When Barcelona took to the sphere at Estadio da Luz earlier this season, Wojciech Szczesny made his UEFA Champions League debut for the membership and dropped one of many worst performances of his profession.

Nonetheless new to the beginning XI, he struggled to speak with the crew and was concerned in a severe miscommunication with Alejandro Balde to go away the aim open for Vangelis Pavlidis. He then gave away a penalty in the identical half, serving to Benfica enhance their lead.

Such was Szczesny’s disastrous night time that followers known as out loud for Inaki Pena’s return, one thing Flick refused to entertain as he insisted he noticed one thing particular within the veteran.

Final night time, the Polish goalkeeper returned in opposition to the identical opposition in the identical stadium and it’s only poetic that he delivered his best-ever efficiency in a Barcelona shirt but.

Szczesny’s night time started proper within the first minute when he was known as into motion to disclaim Kerem Akturkoglu. After the pink card for Cubarsi, Benfica additional pushed in assault and bombarded the Barcelona aim with photographs.

But, Szczesny was impenetrable final night time and his reflexes, presence of thoughts and skill to remain calm helped him preserve a clear sheet regardless of the crew having one man much less.

In 90 minutes, he produced eight saves together with 5 from contained in the field, and prevented an xG of 1.2, had two punches, two excessive claims and two profitable runs out.

His distribution was virtually excellent and he delivered the single-greatest goalkeeping efficiency Barcelona have ever seen in latest instances. For sure, his efficiency final night time will go down within the historical past books as a extremely particular night time of goalkeeping brilliance.

A large, huge benefit

Contemplating how Barcelona’s final recreation at Estadio da Luz went, even a slender win over Benfica was all the time going to be thought-about a optimistic consequence to take residence from the primary leg within the UCL Spherical of 16 conflict.

After Cubarsi’s pink card, nevertheless, even a draw or a low-margin defeat instantly started trying beneficial because the crew needed to play near 70 minutes down a person.

To deliver residence a 1-0 win from Lisbon, that too taking part in with a numerical drawback, is thus huge for Barcelona and their possibilities of qualifying for the following spherical.

The second leg of the conflict is scheduled on the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys and Barcelona enter that recreation one aim forward on combination.

What is larger, nevertheless, is that they may enter the reverse fixture supremely assured, particularly after defeating Benfica final night time within the recreation scenario that they’d.

Final night time’s win will do wonders for Barcelona’s confidence and instil a severe sense of supremacy within the dressing room.

If the rating distinction was not a large enough issue, the arrogance increase Barcelona could have for subsequent week’s recreation is unquestionably sufficient to make them vital favourites to progress to the quarterfinals.