Match Details:
- Who: Benfica vs Barcelona
- What: UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg
- Where: Estadio de Luz, Lisbon, Portugal
- When: Wednesday, March 5 at 8pm (20:00 GMT)
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Barcelona, five-time winners, will face Benfica in Lisbon for the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie. Barcelona, who finished second in the group stage, are among the favorites to win the trophy, while Benfica has reached the final seven times but only lifted the trophy twice in 1961 and 1962.
Barca’s Response to Champions League Draw:
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has dismissed claims that his team has an “easy” path to the Champions League final and emphasized the difficulty of facing Benfica in the last 16. If Barcelona advances, they will face either Borussia Dortmund or Lille in the quarterfinals. Flick did not speculate on tournament favorites or potential threats to Barcelona’s hopes, focusing instead on the upcoming match against Benfica.
Last Meeting Between Barca and Benfica:
Barcelona defeated Benfica 5-4 in their last meeting in a thrilling group-stage comeback. Defender Pau Cubarsi highlighted the need for Barcelona to focus more to stop the Portuguese side, for whom Vangelis Pavlidis scored a hat-trick. Cubarsi emphasized the importance of managing games and giving their all from the start in the two-legged tie.
Benfica’s Approach to the Barca Test:
Benfica manager Bruno Lage expects an exciting match on Wednesday, following their previous high-scoring encounter. Lage emphasized Benfica’s identity of attacking football and predicted a tough match against Barcelona. He highlighted the importance of the result in the second leg and expressed confidence in his team’s ability to progress in the tie.
Team News:
Barcelona midfielder Gavi is doubtful for the match, while Benfica will be without Angel Di Maria and Florentino. Winger Renato Sanches is expected to be available for selection. Both teams have a history of competitive encounters, with Barcelona winning four of their previous meetings against Benfica.
Pertandingan kembali musim itu berakhir imbang tanpa gol di Neu Camp – terakhir kali kedua klub bertemu sampai musim ini.
Kemenangan Benfica lainnya adalah pertemuan pertama antara kedua klub dan terjadi dalam final tahun 1961 dengan klub Portugal mengangkat trofi setelah menang 3-2 di Bern, Swiss.
Sebagai 📸 persiapan untuk #SLBFCB! 🌡#UCL pic.twitter.com/DZ3orNLNZI
— SL Benfica (@SLBenfica) 4 Maret 2025