Raphinha’s stoppage-time winner capped a remarkable 5-4 comeback victory for Barcelona against Benfica on Tuesday night, sealing the Catalan club’s place at the top of their Champions League group.
The match, held at Estadio da Luz, was a rollercoaster of drama, highlighted by a hat-trick from Benfica’s Greek striker Vangelis Pavlidis and a series of costly errors from both goalkeepers.
The victory leaves Barcelona second in the group with 18 points after seven games, ensuring their qualification for the next round ahead of next week’s final first-phase fixtures.
Meanwhile, Benfica, who missed an opportunity to strengthen their position in the top eight, dropped to 18th with 10 points, occupying a playoff spot.
Pavlidis Hat-Trick Shocks Barcelona Early
Benfica stormed into the lead within two minutes when Pavlidis tapped in a cross to open the scoring. However, Barcelona quickly leveled in the 11th minute after VAR awarded a penalty for a foul by Tomás Araújo on Alejandro Balde.
Robert Lewandowski calmly converted from the spot to make it 1-1.
Pavlidis restored Benfica’s lead moments later, pouncing on a poor decision by Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who left his goal wide open.
Szczesny’s troubles continued as he fouled Kerem Aktürkoglu in the box, allowing Pavlidis to complete his hat-trick with a penalty in the 30th minute.
Barcelona Fight Back in the Second Half
Trailing 3-1 at halftime, Barcelona showed renewed determination. In the 64th minute, a blunder from Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin gifted Barcelona a bizarre goal when his clearance ricocheted off Raphinha’s head and into the net, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
However, Barcelona’s defensive woes resurfaced minutes later, as Ronald Araújo inadvertently scored an own goal to restore Benfica’s two-goal lead.
Lewandowski kept the visitors in contention with another penalty conversion in the 78th minute, reducing the score to 4-3.
Substitute Eric García equalized in the 87th minute with a towering header from Pedri’s precise cross, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
Deep into stoppage time, Raphinha sealed the victory with a stunning counter-attack, silencing the home crowd and securing a memorable comeback.
Post-Match Reactions
“It was an incredible victory. The team didn’t lose their heads throughout the game,” said defender Eric García.
“When you start the game losing, it messes your plans. It’s important to qualify for the next round; we came with this objective in mind.”
Raphinha, whose brace proved decisive, praised the team’s fighting spirit:
“We knew it was going to be a difficult game. I know how hard it is to play here against Benfica. They have players of the highest level.”
“We didn’t let ourselves get carried away when we were 3-1 down. It was a spectacular match for the spectators. Anyone could have won.”
What’s Next?
Barcelona will host Atalanta in their final first-phase game next Wednesday, aiming to secure the group’s top spot.
Benfica, now under pressure, will look to bounce back in a crucial encounter against Juventus.
Matchday 7 Day 1 Fulltime Results
Benfica 4-5 Barcelona
Monaco 1-0 Aston Villa
Liverpool 2-1 Lille
Bologna 2-1 Dortmund
Club Brugge 0-0 Juventus
Atletico Madrid 2-1 Bayer Leverkuseen
Atalanta 5-0 Stum Graz
Slovan Bratislava 1-3 Stuttgart
FK Crvena Zveda 2-3 PSV Eindhoven
