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Despite the Catalan giants having 10 players in the starting lineup for the majority of the game, Raphinha won the Champions League last-16 match 1-0 at Benfica on Wednesday.

Midway through the first half of the scoreless encounter in Lisbon, teenage defender Pau Cubarsi was sent off.

Before the second leg of the match on Tuesday, Raphinha scored after 61 minutes to give Barcelona’s five-time winners a slim lead over Bruno Lage’s side.

READ ALSO: In Champions League Last-16 First Leg, Liverpool defeated PSG 1-0.

After drawing in a match that many people believe is favorable, Barcelona are expected to win the competition again this year.

On a tense evening in the Portuguese capital, Hansi Flick reaffirmed that there was no such thing as an “easy” tie before the game, and the coach was proven right.

After his team won, the German coach declared to the team chapeau, “I’m very proud.”

“This is a big win because it was difficult to play with 10 players in the 22nd minute,” said one player.

Wojciech Szczesny made amends by making two of his best saves as Barca were held to a goal in the final half of the group stage against Benfica in January despite making two high-profile errors.

After a few seconds, Szczesny made a wise save to deny Benfica’s Kerem Akturkoglu, and the opening act showed that both teams were returning from Barcelona’s wild 5-4 victory in Lisbon.

“The last time I didn’t think (Szczesny) left here very happy,” said Barca midfielder Pedri.

He “save a lot” (tonight), one of which is “between the sticks” and “it’s great to have him” when the game first begins. “He saved a lot (tonight), one where you start the game on a bad footing.”

As Barca threatened, Dani Olmo fired a narrow shot wide at the other end before Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin made a stunning triple save to keep the score level.

The Ukrainian mopped up Lamine Yamal’s attempt from the rebound and then parried Dani Olmo’s prodded effort before making a brilliant stop to thwart Robert Lewandowski’s conversion from point blank range.

We knew how to defend, according to the statement.

After 22 minutes, Cubarsi, 18, was sent off for Barcelona.

Vangelis Pavlidis, who had scored a hat-trick in the group game, was scythed down by the Spaniard as he ran through on goal.

Szczesny saved Ronald Araujo’s free kick from Orkun Kokcu, who was then replaced by Olmo Flick for the defender.

After Marc-Andre ter Stegen suffered a severe knee injury in September, Barcelona released the Polish goalkeeper, who also performed well in a save to prevent Akturkoglu’s header before the break.

Before Raphinha broke the deadlock, Szczesny made another effective intervention to keep Pavlidis at bay early in the second half.

After Flick replaced Yamal with Ferran Torres in the opening half, Raphinha stepped up to win the ball back high up and wallop a low, deflected effort home from distance.

The forward had the best career of his career in his ninth Champions League goal in nine games.

“We had to be focused, we had a chance in our heads, and if we did, we had to score,” Raphinha said.

In the final stages, Barcelona frantically defended as Szczesny and Benfica battled it out for the ball.

When Szczesny felled Andrea Belotti, the hosts believed they had won a penalty, but a mistake occurred during the build-up, and Barcelona stayed in control.

“We already knew how to defend,” Pedri continued.

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Bayern Munich’s 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday marked their first-ever Champions League tie against Bayern Munich, which included two goals from Harry Kane.

Since Xabi Alonso took over in October 2022, Bayern have won six straight games against the German champions, who looked shellshocked under the Allianz Arena floodlights.

READ ALSO: In Champions League Last-16 First Leg, Liverpool defeated PSG 1-0.

After nine minutes, Kane headed in a lovely Michael Olise cross. Jamal Musiala was in the best position to capitalize on Matej Kovar’s goalkeeping howler, the team’s regular backup, Lukas Hradecky, nine minutes into the second half.

Kovar rose high but wasn’t high enough, allowing a chip from Joshua Kimmich to snag through his fingers. A grateful Musiala tapped home the ball, which was where it was dropped.

Nordi Mukiele sunk his studs into Alphonso Davies’ calf eight minutes later, earning a second yellow.

In the box, Mukiele’s replacement Edmund Tapsoba bear gave a bear hug to Kane. Referee Michael Oliver looked up the VAR screen and pointed to the spot after the England captain fell to the ground.

Kane converted in every match since his 2022 World Cup miss against England, setting Bayern on the verge of a win in the tie and preserving the dream of making it to the Munich final this year.

Alonso was captured on camera celebrating by the corner flag as Kane and Bayern celebrated the importance of cool heads on the European stage before the game.

Before the match, Bayern, who were viewed as outsiders by a number of pundits, burst back into form, reaffirming where the balance of power is in German football.

After netting a pointless draw in February, Bundesliga champions Leverkusen looked the better team than Bayern, who had already already eliminated Bayern from the German Cup this season.

Alonso chose not to name a striker in this game, leaving Patrik Schick on the bench like he did in the previous match.

Kane, Schick’s counterpart, was on a parlanced run, going without a goal in four games, but he headed an Olise cross just nine minutes in to give Bayern the lead early.

Kovar, who became Leverkusen’s cup keeper in the middle of the year, gave Bayern a second and scored from the spot with a tap into Musiala.

With just 30 minutes left, Bayern even managed to win the match against veteran captain Manuel Neuer, who was then substituted for Jonas Urbig, but Leverkusen was unable to challenge the 21-year-old debutant.

In the first leg of their heavyweight Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday, Harvey Elliott scored with his first touch after coming on as a late substitute for Liverpool.

The Premier League leaders had just been given the advantage before Mohamed Salah’s return when Elliott fired in from a Darwin Nunez assist in the 87th minute at the Parc des Princes.

Read more about Bayern’s 3-0 victory over Leverkusen in the Champions League Last 16 first leg.

The ultimate smash-and-grab performance came from Arne Slot’s side, who had a reputation for surviving a hiccup from PSG at the time.

As the French league leaders made 28 attempts on goal from the visitors’ two, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had a first-half strike blocked for a minor offside, and an outstanding Alisson Becker saved several important saves.

Slot told broadcaster TNT Sports, “To leave with a win over here was probably a little more than we deserved.” Alisson continued, “It was probably the performance of my life.”

Salah, in contrast, had been almost entirely anonymous when Liverpool had to score just once this season. However, they are now confident of regaining their lead at Anfield.

A quarter-final against Aston Villa or Club Brugge is expected if Liverpool beat PSG in the league cup next week, but PSG showed enough to suggest they will once again be dangerous in England.

“We would have been more than worthy winners with our performance,” PSG midfielder Vitinha told Canal Plus. “I’m still optimistic.

“I am aware that in football, goals are everything, but playing that way brings us closer.

I’m certain that Liverpool will play with the same character and win.

In their previous five Champions League appearances, Luis Enrique’s team had scored 21 goals in its first 10 straight victories before entering this contest.

However, this performance resembled those of their Champions League debut, when they struggled to convert chances to goals and were defeated by Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, and Arsenal.

Kvaratskhelia, a Georgian who completed a fluid front three alongside Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele, was chosen as the January signing.

Diogo Jota made his first Champions League appearance since October 2 because Cody Gakpo was unavailable for Liverpool.

The highly anticipated clash had the potential to be Liverpool’s most difficult test this season, and that is how it flopped for extended periods of time.

PSG is now a team led by a handful of elite players, with their intense Spanish coach serving as their leading force.

Alisson stars

They had a 65% possession of the game throughout and held Liverpool to a command from the beginning.

When he intercepted a Vitinha pass inside the area and curled a shot past Alisson, Kvaratskhelia believed he had scored on 20 minutes.

The home team and supporters erupted in celebration, but a swift offside decision ultimately revoked the goal.

Liverpool had no control over the situation when Joao Neves fired over from a Dembele center a little earlier and Alisson saved from Dembele on the half-hour before Barcola’s shot was too high.

Salah might have worried the home team, but PSG’s relentless attack prevented the Egyptian from entering the game.

Ibrahima Konate knocked Barcola over on the edge of the area during a VAR check for a potential red card, but the Italian officials did not accept the Liverpool defender.

After the break, Paris continued to launch a barrage of attacks, suffocating Liverpool with their counter-pressing performance.

Alisson was subjected to a free-kick by Kvaratskhelia, and Achraf Hakimi’s shot was flimsy after Doue was denied by a brave save from the goalkeeper.

Doue came on as a substitute and cut inside from the left ten minutes later, sending a curling shot in the far corner. Alisson then turned to his left and stretched to the left to tip the ball in.

In a sign of how seriously the London club are taking the competition, Enzo Maresca is prepared to use Cole Palmer.

In terms of prestige in European football, the Conference League may be a step backwards from the Champions League and the Europa League.

Chelsea’s participation in this competition just four years after winning the title of Europe for the second time in their history is a sure sign of their relative decline.

READ MORE: &nbsp Postecoglou Declares Europa League As a “Great Opportunity” For Spurs

Chelsea is 21 points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool, so Blues manager Maresca has brought a strong squad to Denmark for Thursday’s last-16 first leg away to Superliga leaders Copenhagen.

Palmer, an English rising star, could start after being exempt from all of Chelsea’s previous Conference League games following the play-offs in August. The squad also includes Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez.

Colgate is “excited to play training sessions,” and he is certainly excited to play these games, Maresca stated in a press conference prior to the game on Wednesday. “The intention was to bring him back into the Conference League squad exactly this plan,” he said.

A three-game losing streak for Chelsea was ended by last week’s 4-0 victory over basement club Southampton, with Maresca’s men knocked out of the FA Cup by Brighton before falling to the Seagulls in the league.

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella remarked, “This is another opportunity to show that we are ready.” The final step must be taken. It serves as a reminder that we are prepared to fight for great things.

Before the Southampton game, a group of Chelsea fans staged a protest, with Cucurella, a Spaniard, saying, “I can understand it. Fans are free to express their emotions.

We must demonstrate in the matches that Chelsea is a top club.

The wing-back continued, “Our team is one of the worst in the league now, and in December it looked like we were the best.” However, this can occur in football.

We are still young. A new manager has been appointed. We have fresh concepts. Our football is strong. The fans are understandable to us.

Key players are set to return for Thursday’s last-16 first-leg tie against Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, according to Ange Postecoglou, who says the Europa League offers Tottenham Hotspur a “great opportunity” to resurrect a struggling campaign.

A Spurs team is currently 13th in the Premier League table after missing out on Dominic Solanke, Micky van de Ven, and Cristian Romero due to their lengthy absences. The north London club has also been eliminated from both domestic cup competitions.

READ ALSO: Thuram and Martinez Give Inter a 2-0 lead over Feyenoord in the Champions League

Tottenham, who last won the European Championship with their 1984 triumph in the UEFA Cup, the league’s precursor, have yet to win a significant trophy since lifting the 2008 League Cup.

Spurs, the first English club to capture significant continental silverware with victory in the 1963 European Cup Winners’ Cup final, are now looking to the continent to keep manager Postecoglou’s record of second-season success established at the Australian’s former teams.

Yes, I think it’s fair to say that the boys are fully aware of the value of our opportunity,” Postecoglou said during a press conference prior to the game on Wednesday.

We obviously want to do well in this competition. We are in a good position, really. The first obstacle to overcome is that we are in the round of 16 and have two difficult games against AZ.

The club hasn’t done well in this competition in recent years, but it’s a major European competition, and for us there’s an opportunity there and we’ll see how far we can go in it.

With us tomorrow night, we must ensure that whatever occurs at the conclusion of the match has a chance to return to Tottenham and win the tie.

After absorbing Champions League last-16 first leg on Wednesday, Inter Milan’s powerful strike duo of Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez combined to give the Italians a commanding 2-0 lead over Dutch side Feyenoord.

The two teams, who meet again in Milan for Tuesday’s second leg, will compete for quality goals from the French and Argentinian strikers on either side of half-time, with the winner of the Bayern Munich-Bayer Leverkusen showdown waiting.

David Hancko, a Feyenoord defender, said, “Their quality is unbelievable.”

Second half of the way, Hancko claimed, “You could see that they were controlling the game and that it was more difficult for us to be dangerous.”

Also read: FIFA To Pay $1 Billion in Prize Money for Club World Cup

Three-time European champions Inter had the best of the opening quarter of Rotterdam’s ever-atmospheric De Kuip, but Feyenoord had the fewest opportunities to make the most of them.

The hosts were in a position to save Ibrahim Osman, a pacy 20-year-old Ghana international winger on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion, twice, forcing Josep Martinez to make quick save saves.

Thuram had a clear chance of scoring for the visitors, but he chose to pass square rather than shoot, avoiding the danger.

With just eight minutes until the half-time whistle, the French striker latched onto a curling cross from Nicolo Barella to curl it in with the outside of his boot at the far post to break the deadlock.

The Serie A side suddenly appeared much more dangerous going forward after the goal, which was slightly against the course of play.

After a successful first half, Feyenoord legend and newly appointed manager Robin van Persie would have been pleased to see his side enter the dressing room with a goal lead.

But Martinez’s unstoppable shot into the top corner gave the hosts a mountain to climb after the hosts’ arrears doubled just five minutes into the second period.

When Jakub Moder’s lunging deflection skimmed the bar, Feyenoord was on his way to regaining the game.

When Jeyland Mitchell brought down Thuram in the box, the referee awarding a penalty after a protracted VAR check, Inter had a chance to put the game, and probably the tie, out of reach.

However, Timon Wellenreuther made a wise save from Piotr Zielinski’s penalty in the Feyenoord goal by moving to his right.

Feyenoord pressed on until the end, looking for something to take back to the San Siro, but Simone Inzaghi’s men’s men’s Inter defense held firm on a successful night.

Denzel Dumfries, a Dutch international for Inter, said, “We came out well a few times, but I think we were solid in defense.”

He continued, “We made things difficult for them because we hit them well on the break.”