Raphinha fires ten-man Barcelona to gritty Benfica triumph

Despite losing teenage defender Pau Cubarsi to an early red card, the Blaugrana dug deep, with Raphinha's second-half strike sealing a priceless advantage at the Estadio da Luz.

Flick couldn't hide his pride post-match. "It's a great victory," he said. "We're thrilled not just with the result, but how we got it. We defended as a unitâ”that's what matters most.

"Going a man down early wasn't easy, but the lads showed fantastic maturity. Benfica are a strong side, so we've got to stay sharp for the second leg."

The game exploded into life from the off. Just 18 seconds in, Benfica's Kerem Akturkoglu pounced on a Barcelona error, only for goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny to claw his effort around the post. The hosts kept pushing, with Leandro Barreiro fizzing a half-volley over, but Barcelona soon found their feet.

Dani Olmo went close before Anatoliy Trubin produced a stunning triple save, denying Frenkie de Jong, Robert Lewandowski, and Lamine Yamal in a frantic 12th-minute spell.

Disaster struck on 22 minutes when Cubarsi, aged just 18, hauled down Vangelis Pavlidis as the last man, earning a straight red.

Flick brushed it off as part of the game. "These things happen in football," he said. "Pau's young, mistakes are normal. What impressed me was how we reacted, everyone stepped up." Szczesny proved his worth again, thwarting Orkun Kokcu's free-kick and tipping Akturkoglu's header over the bar.

The second half saw Benfica pile on pressure, but Szczesny stood tall, repelling efforts from Pavlidis and Fredrik Aursnes. Then, on the hour, Raphinha turned the tide. The Brazilian nicked the ball off Antonio Silva, surged forward, and lashed a low left-footer into the bottom corner from outside the box. "That's the quality he brings," Flick said of his match-winner.

Benfica boss Bruno Lage threw on attacking subs, including Andrea Belotti, who thought he'd won a late penalty, only for VAR to rule him offside. Joao Rego and Arthur Cabral went close too, but Barcelona's ten men held firm, showing the grit to match their flair after a 5-4 thriller at the same ground 43 days prior.

Flick reserved special praise for Szczesny, his summer coup after Marc-Andre ter Stegen's injury. "Wojciech was brilliant," he said. "He's growing every game, more confident, and it's lifting our defence. I knew he had this level in him from training."

The Pole's heroics ensured Barcelona take a slender lead to the Camp Nou.

On X, Barcelona's official account praising Szczesny's "world-class" display, while Raphinha tweeted: "Team effort, big win, onto the next one!" No word yet from Cubarsi, but Flick's backing suggests the youngster's confidence won't take a hit.

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