Sat Mar 08 20:00:00 UTC 2025: ## Barcelona Edges Past 10-Man Benfica in Champions League Thriller
**Lisbon, Portugal** – Barcelona secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on March 5th, despite playing with 10 men for the majority of the match. Raphinha, the Brazilian winger, proved to be the match-winner, scoring his 25th goal of the season and ninth in the Champions League, capitalizing on a defensive error in the 61st minute.
Barcelona’s numerical disadvantage began in the 22nd minute when teenager Pau Cubarsi was sent off for a last-man foul on Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis. Despite Benfica’s dominance in the second half, registering 15 shots with five on target, they were unable to breach Barcelona’s defense. A late penalty appeal for Benfica was overturned due to an offside in the build-up.
Benfica’s Pavlidis, who scored a hat-trick against Barcelona in a previous encounter this season, missed several gilt-edged chances, including one early in the second half. Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny also made several crucial saves, a stark contrast to his performance in the teams’ previous meeting.
The win extends Barcelona’s unbeaten run to 16 matches across all competitions. The second leg will be played at the Camp Nou on March 11th. While Benfica will be confident of overturning the deficit at home, they face a significant challenge to progress to the next round.
First Piper 