An incredible night of Champions League football ended in bitter disappointment for Benfica as Barcelona came from 4-2 down to win 5-4 at the Estádio da Luz.
Benfica looked in control at half time thanks to a Vangelis Pavlidis hat-trick, countered by a Lewandowski penalty, giving the Eagles a 3-1 lead. The Eagles’ sparkling performance in the opening 45 minutes was fuelled by an out-of-this-world display by left-back Álvaro Carreras.
Barca were strong in the moment half, yet Benfica held on till a big mistake through Anatoliy Trubin allowed Raphinha to make it 3-2, yet in a while afterwards an own purpose from Ronaldo Araújo restored Benfica’s two-purpose lead. By this point, the skies had opened up, an almighty typhoon offering an ideal backdrop for the typhoon on the ground.
Barcelona were again given hope when a Carreras foul committed against Yamal allowed Lewandowski to score his second penalty of the night and the Spaniards were celebrating wildly when Eric Garcia headed in the equaliser in the 86th minute, making it 4-4.
There is still time for much more drama because Angel di Maria’s replacement is missing while he cleans up. In the final seconds of the stoppages of the match, Leandro Barreiro collapsed on the surface, but amid the loud penalty cries, Barca broke through the box and Raphinha shot brilliantly to give the visitors a remarkable 5-4 victory, the protests livid away. of the players and the coaching staff of Benfica ignored by the referee.
José Ricardo Leite
Bruno Lage surprised everyone by betting on Di Maria’s Arkturkoglu. And although Barreiro scored a hat-trick against Famalicão, he gave up his place in the starting eleven at Aursnes.
Lage settled a web for Barcelona to play around when they had possession. With a very compromised pair of wingers such as Schjelderup and Arkturkoglu dropping back to help their full backs get the better of players like Yamal and Raphinha, as well as a hard press on the Barcelona’s midfielders made it very difficult for the Blaugrana to play inside and between the lines.
However, this is the image of the urgent Hansi Flick that is more surprising. The centrals press the extremes, the extremes press the central defense of Benfica, Lewandowski presses the goalkeeper. Benfica cannot in any case play ready from behind.
Barcelona’s 11th outing in Lisbon this afternoon. Photo: Arlindo Homem ©
The night is for Álvaro Carreras. A very forged defensive action, however, what stands out is its offensive performance. Exceptional drip skills, distance of this global and a reading of the game that makes the most productive boxes in the box in global jealousy. Remember that Man United has preference in Movear Ray. Amorim, do you look that?
The Barcelona players felt the third purpose very much. The “gegenpressure” played through the film will have to be perfectly coordinated, in a different way they suffer a lot. As we approached the whistle at halftime, Barcelona became increasingly uncomfortable not only attacking, but especially when pressing.
In the second half, Bruno Lage dropped back his team and left Barcelona with the ball. Directly from Mourinho’s school against Barcelona: park the bus and play on the counter attack! It doesn’t take much to pass by the Barcelona pressing… three or four touches with real chemistry and Benfica were able to create danger near Blaugrana’s goal.
Bruno Lage perfectly understood what the game’s key was: very fast and very accurate attacks with very few touches were enough to advance Barcelona. And with a desperate and impetuous Barcelona, everything except for the Eagles.
However, Barcelona ended up playing with their hearts. The tactical game was won, but the match was lost.
2’ Benfica GOAL!!! Great switch of play from right to left by Tomás Araújo, Carreras progresses forward and crosses for Pavlidis to produce a lethal finish.
The five ‘races fly The Lamine Yamal, they rush up, perfectly cross Fredrik Aursnes, which is largely 10 meters away.
9’ Robert Lewandowski spins and shoots over bar
12′ Barcelona goal!!! Alejandro Baldé falls in the Benfica area after a challenge by Araújo, the referee first signals a corner, but then Var controls a penalty. Lewandowski hits.
Benfica’s sloppy 20′ defence gave Gavi the possibility to score, yet his acrobatic effort brilliantly stored through Trubin.
22’ Benfica GOAL!!! Otamendi lofts a long ball forward, a mix-up between Baldé and Szczesny leads to a tremendous clash flooring both players, leaving Pavlidis with a clear route to goal 35 yards out and he walks the ball into the empty net.
30′ Goooooal from Benfica!! Arkturkoglu heads his toe after touching the ball past Szczesny. The referee calls the penalty. Pavlidis, who has been criticized for his lack of aim since joining Benfica, steps in to complete a 30-minute hat-trick.
Pavlidis completes his hat-trick from the penalty spot. Photo: Arlindo Homem ©
45 ‘Kökçu Error, Barcelona works on the ball to Raphinha, who, at the side’s feet, invited an opportunity.
49’ Brilliant Pedri pass, sets it up on a plate for Jules Koundé but the defender miss-kicks his volley and Trubin saves.
51’ Benfica break, cross-field pass to Kökçu, ball falls to Pavlidis in the box but his effort is deflected wide. From the resulting corner Aursnes shoots, Szczesny saves.
53 ‘Fantastic ball of Schjelderup, aorsnes with the goalkeeper to beat is rejected through an interception in the last preparation of the retired defender.
65 ’Golo de Barcelona !!! This is a terrible error of Trubin, while the Ukrainian goalkeeper sends the ball to Raphinha, who almost directly directs the ball in the 25 -meter network.
68’ Benfica GOAL!!! The hosts quickly restore their two-goal lead. Schjelderup’s quick feet on the left wing take him to the byline, and his cross is turned into his own net by Barça captain, Ronaldo Araújo.
Tomás Araújo from Benfica and Alejandro Baldé from Barcelona are for the ball. Photo: Arlindo Homem ©
Barcelona Target 77′!! Carreras judged for knocking down Yamal, penalty! Lewandowki scores.
86 ‘Gol de Barcelona !!! A sumptuous Pedri center headed through the Eric García substitute and chaos was created while the players and Barcelona staff who left the bench frantically celebrated the backward tie.
The substitution of 89′ di María is played. Getting the goal with Just Szczesny to beat more than 63,000 fans in the stadium holds his breath and. . . The Polish goalkeeper wins the duel!
90′ Dangerous loose shot for Barcelona, 20 metres. Raphinha advances and shoots high.
Lamimine Yamal was contained by the brilliant races Álvaro, a comfortable penalty granted to Barcelona when both collided in the area. Foto: Arlindo Homem ©
90 6 ‘Benfica desperately approaches the goal while in a melee the ball gets closer and closer to Szczesny’s net and Leandro Barreiro is pushed when he was about to shoot from close range. Barça release the ball and suddenly, Raphinha advances. Enter Benfica’s surface and score Barcelona’s 5th goal !!
But tension is high as Benfica protest furiously to the referee to check the penalty incident at the start of the match. They are convinced that he deserved a penalty in favor of the home team and that the goal was rejected (as happened with Gil Vicente’s victory against FC Porto on Sunday).
But the referee reaped the vehement protests. Benfica began and the referee blew the full -time whistle, and was slightly flooded with all the known Portuguese invective from the stands.
Benfica: Trubin; Tomás Araújo, António Silva, Nico Otamendi, Álvaro Carreras; Luís Florentino, Fredrik Aursnes (Leandro Barreiro, 61’), Orkun Kökçü (Benjamín Rollheiser, 79’); Kerem Akturkoglu (Alexander Bah, 71’), Vangelis Pavlidis (Zeki Amdouni, 80’), Andreas Schjelderup (Ángel Di María, 71’)
Barcelona: Szczesny; Jules Koundé (Eric García, 74 ’), Pau Cubarsí, Ronald Araújo, Alejandro Baldé (Ferrán Torres, 74’); Marc Casadó (Frenki de Jong, 61 ’), Pedri González, Pablo Gavi (Fermín López, 62’); Lamine Yamal (Gerard Martín, 92 ’), Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha
Goals:
[1-0] Pavlidis, 2 ‘
[2-1] Pavlidis, 22’
[3-1] Pavlidis (pen), 30′
[3-2] Rafina, 65 ’
[4-2] Araújo (o.g.), 68’
[4-3] Lewandowski (pen), 77’
[4-4] Eric García, 86’
[4-5] Rafina, ‘
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