Raphinha Earns 10-Man Barca Tight First Leg Win At Benfica
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.
We knew what to do exactly, so stick to 1 et, “as opposed to the red.” eview__Fble dl bacgoDb>, Leblona after Marc-Andre ter Stegen suffere>,
Source: Channels TV
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