Barcelona takes a 1-0 lead into the second stage of her Champions League round with 16 draw against Benfica on Tuesday evening.
After a thriller with nine goals in Lisbon during the league phase, only one strike separated the two sides last week after Pau Comatsi was sent in the first half. The visitors of Hansi Flick were forced to defend a little lower to keep the host on the arm length, and their measured defensive display provided the stage for an impressive victory.
Raphhinha came over Trumpf for La Blaugrana again when his excellent finish turned out to be a match winner from a distance.
Flick’s team was also not domestic actions at the weekend, since the adoption of the club doctor Carles Minarro Garcia died against Osasuna in the construction until the game on Saturday, which led to the shift in the competition.
Benfica, from the back of her defeat in the first leg at home, returned to the win on Saturday when she defeated 3-0 in the Primeira League. The Bruno Lage team is still pursuing Sporting CP at the summit, although their deficit has now only played three points less.
Here is 90 minutes Guide for the second leg on Tuesday in Catalonia.
Barcelona against Benfica head-to-head record (last five games)
Current form (all competitions)
Barcelona | Benfica |
|---|---|
Benfica 0-1 Barcelona – 05/03/25 | Benfica 3-0 Nacional – 08/03/25 |
Barcelona 4-0 Real Sociedad – 02/03/25 | Benfica 0-1 Barcelona – 05/03/25 |
Barcelona 4-4 Atletico Madrid – 25/02/25 | Benfica 1-0 Braga – 26/02/25 |
Las Palmas 0-2 Barcelona – 22/02/25 | Benfica 3-0 Boavista – 22/02/25 |
Barcelona 1-0 Rayo Vallecano – 17/02/25 | Benfica 3-3 Monaco – 18/02/25 |
country | TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
United Kingdom | Discovery+, Discovery+ App, TNT Sports 1 |
United States | Paramount+, Tudn.com, Univision Now, Tudn App, Tudn USA, Unimás |
Canada | Dazn Canada |
Flick was ready to rest and rest before his shift for the game on Saturday, whereby Robert Lewandowski from the squad was absent only due to tiredness. However, the veteran striker will be at the start -xi again on Tuesday evening.
Barcelona is without the suspended Pau-Crubarsi after his red card in Lisbon, which means that Ronald Araujo is a Shoo-in next to Inigo Martinez. Andreas Christensen is also injured.
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and Marc Bernal stay out of the way for the hosts, but Gavi has recovered from an illness and will play a role in the second leg.
Barcelona predicted the line-up against Benfica (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Kounde, Araujo, Martinez, Balde; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski.
The highly respected left -back Alvaro Fernandez is missing due to suspension. The young Spaniard took his third yellow card of the competition in the first leg.
Benfica are on the injury front due to ACL tears without Alexander Bah and Manu Silva, while Tiago Gouveia is traveling with a shoulder injury for a while.
Angel di Maria will miss it again and Benfica cannot call Bruma’s winter arrival, which Benfica’s four former league games founded, since he was not recorded in her Champions League squad after he had joined the club.
Benfica predicted the line-up against Barcelona (4-3-3): Truubin; Santos, Silva, Otamendi, Dahl; Aursnes, Barreiro, Kokcu; Akturkoglu, Schjeldup, Pavlidis.
The second leg comes up for Barcelona in difficult circumstances, but they are a team in excellent form. The victory of last week in Lisbon means that you are now 16 games unbeaten, and physically, Flick’s Side will benefit from the fact that the game will be postponed on Saturday.
Benfica was able to create opportunities last week, and Barca needed a vintage Wojciech Szczesny performance to lead a clean leaf. Expect that visitors will enjoy the profiles in their front on Tuesday, but they need a mini miracle to get into the last eight.
The hosts simply have far too much talent in attack to be contained, and Benficas Champions League trip will come to a rather tame end this week.