Football/ Barça qualifies for quarter-finals with 3-1 win over Benfica
FC Barcelona secured their place in the Champions League quarter-finals with a convincing 3-1 victory over Benfica Lisbon on Wednesday night. The qualification came in a particularly emotional context, as the club was mourning the tragic loss of its doctor, Carles Miñarro, who passed away just before their match against Osasuna. Despite the sorrow, the Blaugranas showed resilience and clinched a solid win to move on to the next stage.
Having won the first leg 1-0 thanks to a goal from Raphinha, Barcelona came into the match without their suspended defender, Cubarsi. Benfica, already missing key players like Bah, Di Maria, and Manu Silva, were hoping for an upset to turn the tie around. From the outset, Barcelona showed their class, with a brilliant play between Koundé and Lamine Yamal. The young talent made a superb dribble before curling a shot towards goal, which found Raphinha’s foot, allowing the Brazilian to open the scoring in the 11th minute (1-0).
However, the lead didn’t last long. Just two minutes later, a well-delivered corner from Schjelderup found the head of Otamendi, whose effort was assisted by a handball from goalkeeper Szczesny, allowing Benfica to equalize (1-1, 13th minute). The match seemed to even out, but Lamine Yamal, the standout player of the night, took control again. In the 27th minute, he produced a dazzling individual effort on the left wing, slotting a shot into the far corner past Trubin to give Barça the lead once more (2-1).
Despite conceding the equalizer, Barcelona remained calm and in control. Before halftime, Raphinha sealed the deal with a fantastic, perfectly-placed strike in the 42nd minute to make it 3-1, essentially securing Barcelona’s qualification. While Benfica had a few chances, like Pavlidis’ shot hitting the post in the 39th minute, they failed to convert any of them.
In the second half, Benfica had a couple of attempts, but they were unable to break through. A goal from Aursnes was ruled out for offside (50th minute), and Pavlidis missed the best opportunity for Benfica in the 66th minute. Barcelona maintained their composure and controlled the game to secure the win. This result ended Benfica’s European run, and they will now focus on the Portuguese league title.
With this victory, FC Barcelona advances to the Champions League quarter-finals, where they will face either Lille or Dortmund. Special praise goes to Lamine Yamal, who at just 16 years old, continues to shine and provide moments of magic on the field for his team.
