Barcelona showed resilience and grit as they secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 clash at the Estádio da Luz.

Despite being reduced to 10 men in the first half, Hansi Flick’s side found a moment of magic through Raphinha, whose stunning second-half strike gave the Catalans a crucial advantage heading into the return leg at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.

The match started at a high tempo, with Benfica pressing aggressively in front of their passionate home crowd. Barcelona, however, remained composed, controlling possession in midfield and looking to exploit spaces in behind. Raphinha and Lamine Yamal provided width, while Robert Lewandowski kept the Benfica defence occupied.

The game took a dramatic turn in the 33rd minute when 17-year-old centre-back Pau Cubarsí was shown a straight red card for a last-man challenge on Benfica forward Rafa Silva. The youngster, who has been impressive since breaking into the first team, misjudged a through ball and brought down Silva just outside the box, leaving the referee with little choice but to send him off.

Down to 10 men, Barcelona had to reshuffle things at the back.

Despite being a man down, Barcelona remained dangerous on the break, and their persistence paid off in the 61st minute. Raphinha, who had been lively throughout, picked up a loose ball outside the box and unleashed a curling left-footed effort that beat Benfica’s goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin and nestled into the bottom corner. It was a moment of brilliance from the Brazilian, whose form has been improving in recent weeks.

Benfica pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but Barcelona’s defensive resilience held firm, preserving the clean sheet and securing a crucial away win for the Blaugrana.

With the second leg set for next week in, Hansi Flick must be getting his team ready to prevent any form of upset.