Barcelona, March 12 (HS). Barcelona defeated Benfica 3-1 in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 played on Tuesday, advancing to the quarter-finals with a total aggregate score of 4-1.
In this match held at Camp Nou, Brazilian forward Raphinha scored two goals, while young player Lamine Yamal played a crucial role in the team’s victory with a stunning goal. Now, Barcelona will face the winner of the upcoming match between Lille and Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals.
17-year-old Spanish winger Lamine Yamal proved to be a nightmare for Benfica’s defense throughout the match. He showcased excellent individual skills in the 11th minute, dazzling two defenders and delivering a superb cross to Raphinha, who scored with a close-range volley. However, Benfica quickly equalized just two minutes later with a header from Nicolás Otamendi.
But Barcelona unleashed a flurry of attacks. Yamal created opportunities for Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo and also took a shot from just outside the box that narrowly missed the target. Finally, in the 28th minute, Yamal scored a stunning goal. He outsmarted Benfica defender Samuel Dahal and struck a fantastic left-foot shot that went straight into the top-right corner of the goal, past goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin.
With this goal, at the age of 17 years and 241 days, Yamal became the youngest player to score and assist in the same match in Champions League history, breaking the record set by Breel Embolo for Basel in 2014 by 22 days.
Barcelona extended their lead to 3-1 with a quick counter-attack in the 42nd minute when Raphinha scored his second goal. With this goal, he became the top scorer in the Champions League this season with 11 goals.
The 28-year-old Raphinha also became the Brazilian player with the most goals in a single Champions League season, surpassing the 10-goal record held by Jardel, Rivaldo, Kaká, Neymar, and Firmino.
In the second half, Barcelona easily controlled the game, while Benfica showed neither the strength nor the will to make a comeback. The final moments of the match felt like a training session.
Barcelona is in excellent form and remains unbeaten in 17 consecutive matches across all competitions. The team is at the top of La Liga and has reached the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, where they are set to play the second leg against Atletico Madrid on April 2.
Raphinha said – ‘We are strong contenders for every title’
After the match, Raphinha stated, We are strong contenders for every tournament. We knew Benfica was a strong team, but we were fully prepared. We showcased excellent play in the first half. Yamal’s goal was amazing. He is a player of great quality, and with him, we can win any trophy.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
