Raphinha’s Strike and Szczesny’s Heroics Give Barcelona 1-0 Win at Benfica

Barcelona took a huge step towards the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday night, securing a 1-0 win in the first leg of their last-16 tie against Benfica at the Estadio da Luz. The Catalan giants were forced to play with 10 men for over an hour after an early red card, but Raphinha’s brilliant second-half strike and Wojciech Szczesny’s exceptional goalkeeping saw them emerge victorious despite the numerical disadvantage.

The match took a dramatic turn in the 22nd minute when Barcelona’s 18-year-old defender Pau Cubarsi was sent off for a foul from behind on Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis, who was through on goal. Barcelona were now facing an uphill battle, but despite being a man down, they showed remarkable resilience.

Benfica dominated possession and created numerous chances, but Szczesny, who had been brought out of retirement following Marc-André ter Stegen’s knee injury, was in inspired form. His quick reflexes were on full display early in the match as he denied Kerem Akturkoglu with an excellent low save just seconds into the game. He followed that up with a series of key saves, including a brilliant stop to keep out Akturkoglu’s header just before halftime and another to deny Orkun Kokcu’s free-kick in the 25th minute.

Despite Benfica’s pressure, Barcelona remained composed and had their own opportunities. Their best chance came when Anatolii Trubin, the Benfica goalkeeper, made a stunning triple save, first blocking Dani Olmo’s effort, then denying Robert Lewandowski’s close-range strike, and finally thwarting Lamine Yamal’s follow-up.

With the match evenly poised and Barcelona down to 10 men, the game turned in the 60th minute. Raphinha, who had been lively throughout, capitalized on a defensive lapse from Benfica. The Brazilian winger won the ball high up the pitch and drilled a low shot from distance. The ball deflected off a Benfica defender and found its way past Trubin, giving Barcelona a crucial lead.

From there on, it was a masterclass in defending. Barcelona sat back, absorbing the pressure from Benfica, and Szczesny continued to produce vital saves. The hosts thought they had equalized when Andrea Belotti was brought down in the box, but the referee ruled out the penalty after an offside in the build-up.

“We knew exactly what to do after the red card,” said Barcelona midfielder Pedri after the match. “We stayed solid defensively, defended as a block, and took advantage of the chance we had with Raphinha up front. Szczesny was incredible, and we couldn’t have done it without him.”

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick. “I’m very proud of the team,” he said. “To come away from here with a win, with 10 men for so long, shows the character of these players. Now we’ll go back to Barcelona with a slim but important advantage.”

Raphinha’s goal marked his ninth in as many Champions League appearances this season, underscoring his importance to Barcelona’s campaign. His clinical finish, coupled with Szczesny’s heroics in goal, gave Barcelona a slender but significant advantage ahead of next Tuesday’s second leg at Camp Nou.

The second leg promises to be an exciting affair, with Benfica needing to score at least once in Barcelona to keep their hopes alive in the competition.