FC Barcelona delivered one of the most thrilling comebacks of the season in the UEFA Champions League, defeating Benfica 4-5 in Lisbon in a match full of goals, controversies, and a dramatic finish. Despite being down 3-1 and 4-2 at different points, the Blaugranas kept fighting and secured a direct spot in the Round of 16 thanks to a last-minute goal from Raphinha in the 96th minute.

The match began explosively for Benfica, with Vangelis Pavlidis scoring an early goal in the 2nd minute, converting a precise cross from Álvaro Carreras on the left wing. Despite this early setback, Barcelona pushed back, with their first real chance coming in the 9th minute when Robert Lewandowski shot wide after a pass from Pedri.

Benfica doubled their advantage in the 22nd minute when Pavlidis found himself unmarked in front of Wojciech Szczęsny's goal and made no mistake. To make matters worse, Pavlidis completed his hat-trick in the 29th minute, converting a penalty after Szczęsny fouled Kerem Aktürkoğlu. This made history as the first time in Champions League history that a player scored a hat-trick in the first 30 minutes against Barcelona.

A Second-Half Response

Despite the daunting scoreline, FC Barcelona never lost hope and continued to press. In the second half, Hansi Flick’s side raised the tempo and got their first goal in the 64th minute when Raphinha struck to make it 4-3. However, luck seemed to be against them when Tomás Aráujo scored an own goal in the 71st minute after a cross from Schjelderup, putting Benfica up 4-2.

But Barcelona wasn't done yet. In the 77th minute, Lewandowski converted his second penalty of the night after a foul by Álvaro Carreras on Lamine Yamal. The tension rose, and in the 84th minute, Eric García leveled things up at 4-4 with a header from a perfect Pedri assist. The stage was set for an unforgettable finale, but the real twist came in injury time.

The Qualification Goal

With minutes running out, Raphinha became the hero of the match by scoring the winner in the 96th minute. His powerful shot from outside the box left Anatoliy Trubin, the Benfica goalkeeper, with no chance, despite his many impressive saves throughout the game. The goal sealed a 4-5 victory for Barcelona and secured their direct passage to the Round of 16.

Qualification Secured

This victory was crucial for FC Barcelona, not only securing their spot in the Round of 16 but doing so with one game to spare. In their final match of the group stage, they will host Atalanta at the Camp Nou, aiming to finish the group stage unbeaten. On the other hand, Benfica, who fought until the end, will have to rely on the results of the final matchday to secure their place in the next round. They will face Feyenoord at home in a must-win game for their hopes of advancing.