In a night filled with Champions League excitement, Barcelona emerged victorious with a narrow 1-0 win against Benfica, despite being reduced to ten men early in the match. Bayern Munich showcased their dominance with a convincing 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen, while Liverpool snatched a late 1-0 win at Paris Saint-Germain thanks to Harvey Elliott's crucial goal.
Barcelona faced a challenging encounter when Pau Cubarsi received a red card midway through the first half after fouling Benfica's Vangelis Pavlidis. Despite being down to ten men, Raphinha capitalized on an opportunity in the 61st minute to secure the win for Barcelona. The Catalan club has not claimed the Champions League title since 2015 but is widely anticipated to advance deep into this season's competition.
Wojciech Szczesny played a pivotal role in keeping Benfica at bay with a series of remarkable saves. His performance included a stunning triple save in the first half and a smart reaction save that denied Kerem Akturkoglu's header before the break. Szczesny's commanding presence between the sticks was instrumental in maintaining Barcelona's lead.
“He saved a lot [tonight], one at the start where if they score you start the game on a bad footing – between the sticks he’s a big presence and it’s great to have him.” – Pedri
Pedri praised Szczesny's defensive prowess after the match, highlighting the goalkeeper's critical contributions to Barcelona's success. Despite Dani Olmo's near miss and Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin's own triple save, Raphinha's ninth goal in nine Champions League matches made the difference.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich asserted their strength by defeating Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in their last-16 clash. The German giants demonstrated their superiority from the outset, leaving no room for doubt about their intentions to progress further in the tournament. Hansi Flick, Bayern's manager, had emphasized before the match that no Champions League tie is "easy," and his team delivered accordingly.
In Paris, Liverpool emerged triumphant in a tense confrontation against Paris Saint-Germain. Harvey Elliott scored a decisive late goal, securing a 1-0 victory for the English club. This result bolsters Liverpool's aspirations in the competition and underscores their resilience on one of European football's most challenging stages.
