The most epic Barça conquers Lisbon with ten men (0-1)

Special envoy to LisbonAnyone who wants to break the dreams of this Barça will have to work hard. Hansi Flick's team wants to go far in Europe. As far as possible. Even Bavaria, if possible. With the Atlantic rain soaking the players and creating a backdrop to the game, Barça managed to survive a trap in Lisbon. In a game in which more than one would have been frightened and made themselves small, they managed to play more than seventy minutes with one man less to take a result of great value to Barcelona (0-1). A victory of the kind that is enjoyed, because it was suffered. A result that begins to open the doors to the quarter-finals thanks to a goal from Rapinha, the executioner who has always punished Benfica lately.

If last January Benfica and Barça already played a crazy game, one of those that become an ode to football with the final goal by the protagonist himself, Raphinha, the game this March was equally beautiful. The eagle that circles Benfica's stadium in every match flew, a fado-like anthem was sung by thousands of Portuguese throats and the two teams looked each other in the eye before the start. They were ready to resume the fight right where they had left off just over five weeks ago. Barça and Benfica returned to the second half of that eventful duel, with Balde making a mistake after thirty seconds that almost cost them a goal. But when there is chaos, Szczesny seems the calmest man in town, as if he were a character entering the office with a cigarette between his lips. The Polish goalkeeper saved two early on, but Barça was quick to take control of the match. With Olmo in place of Gavi, he chained together long possessions that kept the Lisbon team away. The chances also came, but Lewandowski missed a clear one in which Trubin made three saves in three seconds. It seemed like Flick's team had found a way to put Benfica in a cage. It just seemed like that, it was a trap.

In one of those actions in which Benfica players, in a flash, cross the entire pitch as if they were spirits, the Barça defence broke down and Cubarsi, trying to prevent the goal, committed a clear foul: a direct red card for the youngster from Girona. Flick brought Araujo on for Olmo and Barça knew how to manage their inferiority, with a very clear counterattack in which Raphinha missed and not so many chances for the Portuguese. And when they had them, Szczesny appeared. The Pole remained calm while everything around him was burning, as the local ultras filled the pitch with smoke with their flares and Iñigo Martínez ended up seeing a yellow card, for protesting a foul received from Barreiro that deserved a red card. The Barça defence suffered in between, between cards and blows, but held up in a game where there was everything. Except goals.

And that was despite Pavlidis, a real pest, who had a clear chance from the start of the second half, but he would send the ball skyward. Benfica came out of the locker room wounded. He crucified a wounded Barça. Each attack down the wings was a nail that hurt a Barça that was too closed, prepared to have a Lewandowski up front who did not help much in defence. Lamine also left Kounde too alone, who did what he could with the attacks of a Benfica that had three clear chances in five minutes to start the second half. But they would come up against Szczesny again, who was having the match of his dreams. That is why he had decided to return to the football he had said goodbye to, to be the protagonist on nights like these.

Raphinha, the hero of Lisbon

Flick moved a piece, but without touching Lewandowski. He preferred to pull Lamine's ears, who went to the bench with a sour face, and gave his place to Ferran. And the change worked, with Barça coming out a few meters, forcing corner kicks, playing on the nerves of a Benfica that looked like the winner when Cubarsí had been sent off, and now saw how time passed and they didn't score a goal. On the contrary, Barça would score the goal. It would be Raphinha again, a specialist in punishing the Portuguese, taking advantage of an error in the local team's ball out to shoot from distance. A sharp shot that changed everything.

Benfica stumbled again on the same stone. Same stadium, same competition and same rival. And same scorer. Barça was gaining minutes, playing on the nerves of the home team, with Pedri bringing light every time he stretched the team. The whole team was focused, concentrated, attentive. A game of sacrifice, with Araujo and Iñigo Martínez taking crosses, De Jong making more yards than ever and Ferran helping. It was the day to give your all and be supportive. They even overcame scares like a penalty on Belotti in the 85th minute, which was a penalty. But it was also offside and, therefore, it didn't count. A game to make it clear that this team has talent, but also discipline and the capacity for sacrifice. In Lisbon, Barça came out of the wolf's den with its head held high and a new victory for those who excite.