Barcelona defeated Benfica 5-4 in a Champions League classic at the Estadio du Luz – but the match ended in major controversy that reportedly continued into the tunnel.
In a chaotic evening in Lisbon, Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis scored a hat-trick, while Barcelona winger Raphinha netted a freak goal in the second half, and two penalties were awarded. However, it was Raphinha who emerged as the hero, scoring with almost the last kick of the game to secure the win for Hansi Flick’s side.
Barca had earlier fought back from a 4-2 deficit to level the scores, but their hopes of a victory seemed dashed when Frenkie de Jong was penalized for fouling Alvaro Carreras. Despite this setback, the visitors managed to clear the ball, launching a counter-attack that saw Raphinha surge forward, cut inside, and slot the ball past goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin.
Controversy ensued, as Benfica players and fans felt Leandro Barreiro had been pushed by a Barcelona defender inside the penalty area, but no penalty was given.
VAR reviewed a potential penalty for Benfica after they claimed Leandro Barreiro had been pushed by a Barcelona defender in the penalty area, but the decision was upheld, leaving the hosts furious.
Things escalated further when substitute Arthur Cabral, who hadn’t even come off the bench, was sent off by the referee for his reaction to the call. Benfica manager Bruno Lage also confronted the referee over the decision.
The drama didn’t end there. According to Movistar, a brawl broke out between the two sets of players in the tunnel after the match, prompting on-site police to intervene. It’s reported that they had to separate Raphinha from Benfica players, although the exact details of the altercation remain unclear.
Once the chaos settles, Barcelona will reflect on a dramatic evening that saw them secure automatic qualification for the Champions League knockout stage.
They currently sit second in the group with 18 points and boast the highest goal difference in the competition, although their goals conceded column took a major hit in Lisbon.
Benfica, on the other hand, are in 18th place but could fall further down the table depending on the results of Wednesday’s fixtures.
