Barcelona has positioned themselves as the favorites to advance to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, following a narrow 1-0 triumph over Benfica in the first leg of their round of 16 clash. The thrilling encounter took place at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, setting the stage for a memorable night.
In a startling beginning to the game, Kerem Akturkoglu of Benfica nearly put his side ahead within the first 18 seconds. However, the quick reflexes of Barcelona’s goalkeeper, Wojciech Szczesny, prevailed, preventing the Portuguese team from taking an early lead.
The Spanish side also had their fair share of opportunities to steer the game in their favor. A golden chance fell into their lap when Benfica’s goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin, was put to the test in an intense sequence of events. Trubin thwarted the efforts of Barcelona’s Dani Olmo, Robert Lewandowski, and Lamine Yamal, who all took shots on goal from point-blank range.
The desperation of Benfica began to show as they fell behind. They believed they had won a penalty when their substitute, Andrea Belotti, was taken down by Szczesny inside the box. However, the referee’s decision was overturned after a VAR review established that Belotti was offside during the incident.
Szczesny’s goalkeeping prowess for Barcelona was on full display throughout the match. He made eight saves in total, with the last one coming in the dying minutes of the game against a powerful strike by Renato Sanches. This final save cemented Szczesny’s clean sheet and secured Barcelona’s single-goal advantage as they prepare for the second leg at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in less than a week.