Who: Benfica vs Barcelona
What: UEFA Champions League spherical of 16 first leg
The place: Estadio de Luz, Lisbon, Portugal
When: Wednesday, March 5 at 8pm (20:00 GMT)
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5-time winners Barcelona go to Lisbon to face Benfica on Wednesday within the first leg of their Champions League spherical of 16 tie.
Barca haven’t gained the competitors since 2015 however completed second within the group stage and are among the many favourites to elevate the trophy.
Benfica have reached the ultimate on seven events however have solely lifted the trophy twice – in 1961 and 1962.
What’s Barca’s response to beneficial Champions League draw?
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick dismissed claims that his group have an “simple” path to the Champions League ultimate, forward of their final 16 conflict in opposition to Benfica.
Ought to the Spanish giants progress from the tie, they’ll face both Borussia Dortmund or Lille within the quarterfinals.
Actual Madrid, the report 15-time winners, in addition to Atletico Madrid, Liverpool, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are within the different half of the draw. Barcelona, who prime the Spanish league by some extent, might solely meet these sides in a possible ultimate.
“On this section, there’s no simple sport – each group deserves to be right here at this stage, and I feel Benfica too,” Flick advised reporters on Tuesday. “Benfica is a improbable group [and] we play in a terrific stadium and it’s actually a particular ambiance there.
“Their [fans] push the group on quite a bit, supporting them, and will probably be actually robust tomorrow – laborious work for us.”
The highway to Munich 🏆#UCL pic.twitter.com/XxOXoJwUAD
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 4, 2025
Flick wouldn’t be drawn on who the match favourites are and which aspect would pose essentially the most risk to Barca’s hopes.
“At all times the subsequent match. Benfica is for us the subsequent tough opponent,” the German coach stated.
“It’s not good to [talk about] this stuff. We deal with the subsequent match and the subsequent match, and that’s a great way to do that.
“It at all times begins at 0-0, and it’s important to give every part… the opposite groups are doing rather well and so they at all times wish to win in opposition to us.”
What occurred the final time Barca met Benfica?
Barcelona beat Benfica 5-4 in Lisbon in an exciting group-stage comeback.
Defender Pau Cubarsi stated his group needed to focus extra to cease the Portuguese aspect, for whom Vangelis Pavlidis scored a 30-minute hat-trick.
“It was sophisticated… we gave up a number of probabilities. We’ve to strive to not concede objectives,” stated Cubarsi, who made his Barcelona debut in January 2024 and has quickly turn into a key determine.
“We’ve to know methods to handle video games… it is a two-legged tie and now we have to present every part from the beginning,” continued the 18-year-old.
“Every year, Barca needs to be competing for every part. For me, we’re the most effective membership on this planet. This yr, individuals say now we have the most effective pathway within the match, however I don’t see it like that.”
What’s Benfica tackle the Barca check?
Benfica supervisor Bruno Lage, whose aspect are second within the Portuguese league, advised followers to brace for extra pleasure on Wednesday following the nine-goal thriller within the league section.
Lage stated Benfica, who misplaced the final assembly to a stoppage time Raphinha strike, will keep true to their id of attacking soccer after they host Barca, and that he expects the Spanish giants to do the identical.
“I can’t predict what number of objectives can be scored within the sport, however I can predict a terrific sport of soccer as a result of they’re two groups with an eye fixed for assault,” Lage advised a information convention on Tuesday.
“I feel it’s going to be a tricky match and we are going to exit for the win. Positive, tomorrow’s outcome can be necessary, however the results of the second leg can be extra decisive.
“We’re going up in opposition to a terrific group who rating a number of objectives however we’re additionally trying on the constructive issues we’ve achieved in opposition to this opponent: the variety of probabilities we’ve had, the variety of instances we’ve been in entrance of the goalkeeper… we consider we are able to get by way of this tie.”
Benfica supporters desire a completely different final result to that late-January rip-roaring encounter at Lisbon’s Estadio da Luz during which Barcelona fought again from two objectives right down to win.
“We are going to attempt to discover the areas our rivals supply us as a result of they typically do,” Lage added. We’ve to know methods to benefit from the areas that Barcelona will give us – that needs to be the important thing.”
👥 𝗦𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗗 𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧! #BenficaBarça pic.twitter.com/RaK1e0Xe8y
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 4, 2025
Barcelona group information
Barcelona midfielder Gavi is a doubt for Wednesday’s Champions League conflict.
Gavi, who featured in Barcelona’s thrilling 5-4 win at Benfica, was on the bench of their final two league video games and missed a coaching session on account of sickness.
“We are going to see. Yesterday, he didn’t prepare as he didn’t really feel so good. He’ll go to the physician once more, now we have to attend,” Flick stated.
The 20-year-old has performed 24 video games this season, registering two objectives and three assists since coming back from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) harm.
Benfica group information
Lage confirmed that attacking midfielder Angel Di Maria and midfielder Florentino will miss Wednesday’s sport as they get better however sounded optimistic that winger Renato Sanches needs to be prepared.
“An important factor is for the group to perform as a group, as a complete, no matter who performs,” Lage stated.
Head-to-head
The 2 European giants have surprisingly solely met on 10 events.
Barca have gained 4 of these, together with the victory this season, whereas Benfica have solely gained twice.
The final of these victories was a 3-0 dwelling win within the previous group stage in 2021. The return leg that season was a goalless draw at Neu Camp – the final time the golf equipment met till this season.
The opposite Benfica win was the primary assembly between the 2 golf equipment and got here within the ultimate in 1961 with the Portuguese membership lifting the trophy after a 3-2 win in Bern, Switzerland.
As 📸 da preparação para o #SLBFCB! 🌡#UCL pic.twitter.com/DZ3orNLNZI
— SL Benfica (@SLBenfica) March 4, 2025
