FC Barcelona secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over SL Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on March 5, 2025. Despite being reduced to 10 men early on, Barça displayed resilience to claim the crucial win.
The match took a dramatic turn in the 22nd minute when teenage defender Pau Cubarsà received a straight red card for a last-man foul on Vangelis Pavlidis. This left Barcelona a man down for most of the game.
Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny performed brilliantly, making key saves to deny Benfica throughout the match.
The decisive moment came in the 61st minute when Raphinha intercepted a poor pass from Benfica’s defense and fired a deflected shot into the left corner of the net.
After the match, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick praised his team’s tactical intelligence, hailing Pedri’s performance as “brutal” and “incredible.”
This victory gives Barcelona a crucial advantage ahead of the second leg at Montjuïc, where they will look to secure a spot in the quarterfinals.
