Heroes in the shadow of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha: Barça-Benfica hot takes

BarcelonaBarça secures a spot in the Champions League quarterfinals with a bang. Here are some quick notes.

One scandal after another. Dahl, Mendy, Miguel, Gayá, Perraud, Romero, Galán, Davies... The list of good full-backs who have been humiliated keeps growing. Because Lamine Yamal's performance is so great that he's only 17 years old and we don't know what to write about him anymore. Unlike Messi, who emerged more slowly because he was injured and there were very strong hierarchies in the dressing room, the winger from Rocafonda, undisputed, decides Champions League knockout matches like someone who goes down to the square to do a few touches. Carpe Diem He was determined with that prodigy, who only needed half a half to bring Montjuïc back to his feet. He crowned a performance with a world-class goal that reinforces, if there were any doubts, the insignificance of the days he hasn't scored in La Liga. And what else, Lamine?

Players to compete everywhere. Forwards shine, garner recognition, and appear in photo ops, but teams thrive and aspire to titles when defenders do their job well. With Cubarsí out due to suspension, we must applaud Araujo's fine performance, but above all, the magnificent contributions of Kounde, Balde, and Iñigo Martínez. The Frenchman was a rock alongside Schjelderup, Benfica's main threat in space; the Barcelona native occupied the flanks with unprecedented superiority, and the Basque manned the line with the skill and foundation that have made him a guarantee against any scenario. Let's focus on Iñigo and put it into context: it was a gamble by Alemán that Deco didn't see coming. What a way to turn the tables.

120 million or more. Speaking of redemption, Raphinha is the example that takes the cake. And it's only fair to remember that it was Deco himself who intervened, before being appointed sporting director, to sign him for Barça. The Brazilian has 27 goals, 27, as we're barely entering spring. Undetectable and tireless, he's gone from being an inconsistent winger under Xavi to being in the running for the next Ballon d'Or because Flick's recipe simply fits him like a glove. If the season ended tomorrow, Laporta could sell him for double the millions he paid for him in the midst of the economic crisis. But that's unlikely to happen. Because, on top of that, Raphinha feels the colors and has emerged as a leader in the dressing room.

Even more merit. Experts warn that, in situations of mourning, Lack of concentration can play tricks on you. But they also know that, in the face of the rage and disbelief that a sudden death provokes, human beings can draw strength from the depths of their souls to dedicate a success to a lost figure. Fortunately, in this season, when the pitch exudes a joy comparable to that of Guardiola's first Barça, it paid off, which adds even more merit to the victory against Benfica. Three days after crying the transfer of Carles Miñarro, Flick and his team maintained the excellence of the Doc He has helped establish a team that aspires to everything. This is no consolation for his loved ones now, but it is a source of pride that, no matter what happens between now and May, they can begin to embrace.