What a night in Lisbon! Some games are hard to put into words, and tonight’s fixture at a rainy Estádio da Luz was just such a match. FC Barcelona earned three points in spectacular fashion after beating Benfica 4-5 with a comeback that seemed impossible with the team losing 4-2 after 77 minutes. Flick’s Barça side showed character, fight, and resilience after going behind after 2 minutes and never shirked the task in hand in a game they were losing 3-1 at half-time.
Two penalties by Lewandowski, an Eric Garcia header, and Raphinha brace – including the winner deep into added time – completed a comeback that sees FC Barcelona mathematically through to the last sixteen of the Champions League. Simply incredible.
One goal apiece
A very lively start to the clash in Lisbon. Benfica came out of the blocks quickly and took the lead with their first foray into the blaugranes’ area. Left back Álvaro Carreras crossed for Vangelos Pavlidis to finish, and the latter would become the hero for the home side in the first half.
They almost had another a few minutes later, but it was Barça who scored next to tie up the match. Tomas Araujo fouled Balde in the area, and Lewandowski stepped up to dispatch the penalty to make it 1-1.
Pavlidis hat-trick
Gavi then had a chance to put the blaugranes into the lead, but couldn’t beat home keeper Trubin. On the other hand, Benfica made the most of their attacks on the FC Barcelona goal. They had a bit of luck along the way, though, as Szczesny and Balde collided outside the area after a ball into space after 22 minutes, and Pavlidis ran through to score in an open goal.
The bad luck for Barça continued, as the referee blew for a penalty on Aktürkoglu as Szczesny came out to intercept. Pavlidis was again on target to complete his hat-trick with half an hour played.
Neither Flick nor the players could believe it, but they rolled up their sleeves as the first half came to a close. After regaining possession high up the field, Raphinha had a chance to reduce the lead, but his shot went wide. Half-time score 3-1.
From 3-1 to 4-2
Barça came out firing after the break, but Benfica were tight at the back and defending well. It was then that the home side befell their own piece of bad luck, when keeper Anatoliy Trubin tried to pass long and Raphinha managed to divert the ball straight back past him with his head to make it 3-2.
It seemed like the turning point Barça needed, but Benfica scored again just three minutes later to extend the lead to 4-2. It was down to luck again to some extent, as Ronald Araujo diverted a cross from the left into his own goal when trying to clear the danger.
Push to the end
It didn’t look good at that point, but Barça showed their mental fortitude, because despite being two goals up, Benfica continued to close ranks at the back, and with the rain cantering down, the game was set for an epic end in Lisbon. And so it came to pass. Lewandowski scored another penalty to make it 4-3, after Alvaro Carreras bundled over Lamine Yamal. It was only the 77th minute and the comeback was coming to fruition.
Crazy climax
The blaugranes could sense an equaliser was in the offing and it came in the 86th minute. A short corner saw Pedri swing in a wonderful cross met by the head of onrushing substitute Eric Garcia. Barça had been playing a kind of 3-3-4 system since the game went 4-2, with Fermín and Lamine Yamal providing the width, and it had paid dividends.
The hard work was done, Barça could go home with a valuable point, but this crazy game in Portugal still had another chapter to be written. First Ángel Di María went through on goal and Szczesny saved with his feet. Benfica then had a couple of chances to score, plus a shout for a penalty, but MVP Raphinha finished a rapid counter attack to make the final score 4-5 and complete an incredible comeback in Lisbon.
