Lamine Yamal and Raphinha dazzled as Barcelona thumped Benfica 3-1 on Tuesday, reaching the Champions League quarter-finals 4-1 on mixture. Raphinha netted both facet of a surprising Yamal strike because the Catalans dominated within the first half, constructing on their 1-0 final 16, first leg win in Lisbon. Nicolas Otamendi had rapidly levelled Raphinha’s opener however the guests had been blown away on the Olympic Stadium as Barcelona progressed comfortably from the tie and produced some moments of good attacking soccer.
Hansi Flick’s facet will face Borussia Dortmund or Lille within the quarter-finals as they intention to win the competitors for the primary time since 2015 and the period of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.
“We are candidates to win all the things,” Raphinha advised Movistar, with the membership within the hunt for a possible treble.
Barcelona are unbeaten in 17 matches in 2025.
“It’s good that the gamers take into consideration that (profitable all the things), it reveals they’ve confidence, they consider in what they’re doing, however my job is to remain calm,” mentioned Flick.
Flick had mentioned Barca would play for late membership physician Carles Minarro, who died immediately on Saturday forward of the workforce’s match towards Osasuna, which was postponed, and the gamers noticed a silence in his honour earlier than kick-off.
“What occurred made us arrive at this sport much more decided to win,” added Raphinha.
“We gained for us and Carles is at all times with us… he at all times has a spot (right here),” mentioned Flick.
Five-time Champions League winners Barca took the lead after 11 minutes when Spain worldwide Yamal burst into the realm, chopped his well past Florentino after which mishit the ball throughout to Raphinha for a easy end.
Benfica levelled inside two minutes when Otamendi escaped Ronald Araujo to move dwelling from a nook.
Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny excelled within the first leg because the Catalans claimed a formidable win with 10 males after Pau Cubarsi’s crimson card, however may need finished extra to maintain out Otamendi’s effort.
However Barcelona, and significantly their wingers Yamal and Raphinha, had been in sensational type they usually rapidly reclaimed their lead. Â
‘Dynamite’
Yamal netted his first purpose in seven matches, but it surely was well worth the wait, with the 17-year-old reducing in from the correct and arcing a sensational shot previous Anatoliy Trubin and in on the far submit from the sting of the field.
“His purpose was spectacular, it reveals what Lamine is — he is a spectacular participant with large high quality,” mentioned Raphinha.
Raphinha grabbed his second earlier than the break to offer Barcelona a three-goal mixture lead after a blistering run by Alejandro Balde.
The left-back gained the ball again in his space and sliced open the Portuguese workforce on the counter, carrying it to the sting of Benfica’s space earlier than teeing up Raphinha.
It was the winger’s eleventh strike of the competitors and he leads the scoring charts, whereas he additionally has 27 throughout all competitions after netting 10 in every of his first two seasons after becoming a member of from Leeds United.
“We have dynamite up entrance and now we have to benefit from it,” mentioned Barca midfielder Pedri.
Bruno Lage’s facet had been with out injured veteran Angel Di Maria however even with him beating Flick’s Barca on this way would have been a troublesome ask.
Fredrik Aursnes netted for Benfica within the second half however the purpose was disallowed for offside towards Vangelis Pavlidis, who scored a hat-trick as Barca gained 5-4 of their first assembly this season, within the league stage in January.
For probably the most half Benfica struggled to bother Szczesny, and Barcelona got here near scoring a fourth when Frenkie de Jong poked large on the stretch on the finish of a razor-sharp workforce transfer.
Barcelona now await their quarter-final opponent and may begin making ready to go to Atletico Madrid in La Liga on Sunday, in an enormous conflict within the Spanish title race.
Benfica are left to give attention to the Portuguese prime flight, the place they’re second behind Sporting Lisbon.
“We’re left with a sense of frustration, we might have finished higher in each video games,” Lage advised SportTV.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
