Barcelona achieved an important victory in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 by defeating Benfica 1-0 at the Estadio da Luz. The goal was scored by Raphinha with a powerful left-footed shot in the 61st minute, despite Barcelona being reduced to ten players due to Pau Cubarsí's expulsion in the 20th minute.
The match was full of excitement from the first minutes, with Szczęsny preventing a goal from Benfica early on. Barcelona also had clear goal opportunities, but the opposing goalkeeper, Trubin, shone with a triple save to keep his net intact.
Throughout the match, Barcelona managed to maintain defensive order despite being a player down, and Szczęsny had a standout performance, having a flawless night between the posts. Benfica tried to press for the equalizer, but failed to overcome the resistance of the Blaugrana goalkeeper.
With this result, Barcelona carries an advantage into the return leg, which will be played on March 11 at the Estadio Olímpico de Montjuic. The Catalan team will seek to secure their passage to the next round of the Champions League, while Benfica will need to come back at home to aspire to qualification.
