Wed Mar 05 19:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Barcelona Edges Benfica in 10-Man Champions League Thriller
**Lisbon, Portugal** – Barcelona secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie despite playing with 10 men for over an hour. Raphinha’s stunning long-range strike in the 61st minute proved to be the difference, handing the Catalan giants a slender advantage heading into the return leg.
The match took a dramatic turn in the 22nd minute when Pau Cubarsí received a red card for a last-man foul outside the penalty area. However, Barcelona’s resilience was epitomized by the exceptional performance of goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who made eight saves, including a crucial early stop. Szczesny, who replaced the injured Marc-André ter Stegen, earned his eighth clean sheet in 14 games since joining the club. He deflected praise for his Man of the Match performance onto teammate Pedri, joking that he deserved “half the trophy”.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick lauded Szczesny’s performance, stating, “It is very important when you have a clean sheet, with 10 players only, that you have a great and fantastic goalkeeper on the pitch. Today was a great performance from him and he saved us to get the clean sheet. Very good. I am very happy for him and also for the team.” Flick also praised his team’s defensive fortitude and tactical discipline after the red card, describing their performance as “really good”.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Barcelona defended resolutely and remained a threat on the counter-attack, culminating in Raphinha’s match-winning goal – his ninth in as many Champions League games this season. The victory leaves Barcelona in a strong position, but Flick cautioned, “We know we also have to play the next match and Benfica are a good team. We have to take care about that.”
The second leg will be played at Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium next Tuesday. The winner will advance to the quarter-finals to face either Borussia Dortmund or Lille.
First Piper 