In an unforgettable night of football, Barcelona pulled off a stunning 5-4 comeback victory against Benfica, securing their spot in the UEFA Champions League last 16. 😱
The match at Estadio da Luz was a rollercoaster of emotions. Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis struck fear into the hearts of Barca fans with a first-half hat-trick, giving the hosts a daunting 3-1 lead at halftime. 🎩⚽️⚽️⚽️
Despite a shaky start mirroring their recent La Liga form, the Catalans refused to back down. The early goal from Pavlidis came just two minutes in, but Robert Lewandowski leveled the score from the penalty spot in the 11th minute after VAR intervened for a foul on Alejandro Balde. 💥
Benfica regained the lead with Pavlidis capitalizing on an opportunity to complete his hat-trick with a penalty on the half-hour mark. The tension was palpable as both teams battled fiercely. 💪
The second half was a testament to Barcelona's resilience. A bizarre own goal by Benfica’s keeper Anatoliy Trubin bounced off Raphinha's head, narrowing the gap to 3-2 in the 64th minute. 🤯
Benfica extended their advantage again thanks to an own goal from Ronald Araujo, but Barcelona was not done yet. Lewandowski netted his second penalty in the 78th minute, igniting hope among the visiting fans. 🔥
Substitute Eric Garcia became the hero with a towering header from a Pedri cross, bringing the score to 4-4 just minutes from the final whistle. And in a dramatic twist, Raphinha struck in the dying moments of stoppage time, sealing an epic win for Barcelona and stunning the home crowd. ⚡️
“We knew it was going to be a difficult game,” Raphinha told Movistar. “It was a spectacular match for the spectators. Anyone could have won.” 🎙️
Defender Eric Garcia echoed the sentiment: “It was an incredible victory. The team didn't lose their heads throughout the game. It's important to qualify for the next round; we came with this objective in mind.” 💯
With this win, Barcelona sits second with 18 points, heading confidently into next week's final first phase fixtures where they will host Atalanta. 🌟
Meanwhile, Benfica will look to bounce back as they face Juventus, hoping to secure their place among the playoff spots. ⚽️
What a night! Matches like this remind us why we love football. ❤️🏆
Reference(s):
Late Raphinha strike earns Barca 5-4 win at Benfica and last-16 spot
cgtn.com
