The UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second-leg match between FC Barcelona and SL Benfica will commence at 5:45 PM UK time (9:45 AM PDT) today March 11, 2025 at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona. 5:45 PM UK kick-off at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys approaches while Barcelona maintains a narrow 1-0 advantage from the initial match. This information comes at 03:24 AM PDT.
The upcoming football match between FC Barcelona and SL Benfica promises energetic gameplay between European powerhouses that will bring personal objectives along with competitive problems. This preview offers a comprehensive overview of the upcoming game between FC Barcelona and SL Benfica by examining their backgrounds along with forms and team details and strategies and timeline and forecasting results.
Background and Stakes
First Leg Recap
The Estádio da Luz in Lisbon hosted the first match of this tie which established the competitive factors on February 18, 2025. The 1-0 win Barcelona achieved during the encounter hid numerous fascinating aspects from the match. From minute 17 until the end of the game Barcelona battled with only ten men after defender Pau Cubarsi received his red card. The two goals Benfica scored were all Wojciech Szczesny could handle as he successfully pushed aside eight attacking attempts while playing without a substitute goalkeeper. Raphinha scored his second goal versus Benfica this season during the first half which secured Barcelona a crucial one-goal lead for their home defense.
During the match Benfica obtained more than half of the ball possession while generating 15 goal scoring opportunities yet their shots resulted in no scoring. Following the match Bruno Lage expressed disappointment as his team should have triumphed 5-1. The team faces a steep challenge because they must generate either one or two goals in Catalonia to reach extra time or secure a victory.
The Bigger Picture
Barcelona must use this match to demonstrate their revival under Hansi Flick as head coach. The Blaugrana ran a steady course despite their rough beginning to 2024-25 season where they have suffered only one loss in their 16 consecutive competitive games since December’s 2-1 defeat against Atletico Madrid. A Champions League win would provide Barcelona with the final stamp on their position as European powerhouses. Representing Benfica aims to show Europe the club competes at their level. The Portuguese side rules domestic competitions but their inconsistent European elimination bookings give this competition a chance to rewrite their standings.
Recent Form and Emotional Context
Barcelona’s Resilience
Barcelona approaches this match with an impressive momentum even though they dealt with emotional turmoil throughout the week. The game between Barcelona and Osasuna which was planned for March 8 went ahead as Osasuna played different opponents after the passing of first-team doctor Carles Minarro Garcia. The club has chosen to use this Champions League contest to celebrate Doctor Minarro’s life while the team uses this moment as additional inspiration. Their home stadium success has been remarkable lately as Barça won five of seven matches including 4-0 and 3-0 wins against Real Sociedad and Getafe correspondingly.
The forced suspension would benefit Barca by allowing their essential players Pedri and de Jong to recuperate before next matches. Both recent tragic events could potentially disturb the mental concentration of the team. As manager Flick must use this team emotion to transform grief into uproar. The defensive strength along with attacking excellence demonstrated by Barcelona throughout their recent five home games allows them to claim favorite status but they must maintain their high level to defeat desperate Benfica.
Benfica’s Momentum
The football team Benfica entered Barcelona following their Saturday victory of Nacional by 3-0 goals in Liga Portugal. The club occupies an excellent position on their domestic leaderboard while presenting a defensive foundation combined with offensive creativity throughout the season. Midfielder Orkun Kökçü distributes creativity in the team’s middle zone and Vangelis Pavlidis along with Kerem Aktürkoglu bring ongoing strong performances for Benfica. Benfica faces extensive problems because they failed to score any goals in the first match. The important clash requires fresh legs for Sporting CP according to Lage after he made strategic weekend substitutions yet the team still requires better finishing prowess to overcome their current deficit.
Team News and Lineups
Barcelona’s Defensive Shuffle
Barcelona now have a defensive challenge because Pau Cubarsi received a red card during the first leg match. The first-team absence of 18-year-old Pau Cubarsi requires Barcelona to rearrange their defense by pairing Ronald Araujo with Iñigo Martinez if the veteran defender recovers from his minor injury problem. The absent players including Marc-Andre ter Stegen (ACL), Marc Bernal (knee), and Dani Olmo (hamstring) continue to recover while Barcelona successfully adapts their roster. The defensive players Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde should stay on their positions while Wojciech Szczesny maintains his role as keeper.
The midfield trio consists of Pedri and Frenkie de Jong alongside Gavi, assuming Flick wants enhanced intensity from his team. The positive form of Raphinha solidifies his starting position though Lewandowski shows no signs of losing his central role in the lineup despite slower goal-scoring despite his recent form. Lamine Yamal should begin the match on right side to introduce his attacking skills to the pitch. A probable 4-3-3 lineup:
- Goalkeeper: Wojciech Szczesny
- Defenders: Jules Kounde, Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Alejandro Balde
- Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Gavi
- Forwards will consist of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski.
Benfica’s Options
Renato Sanches remains unavailable to Benfica because of Champions League regulations while their medical situation remains stable. There are uncertainties about Tiago Gouveia’s ability to play due to his weekend absence but Benfica’s coach Lage still has options available. During the match expect Benfica to use Trubin as goalkeeper alongside a defensive line composed of Nuno Santos, Antonio Silva, Nicolas Otamendi and Victor Dahl. Defender Fredrik Aursnes connects with midfielder Leandro Barreiro while the team centers its creative impact around midfielder Orkun Kökçü. Kerem Aktürkoglu together with Andreas Schjelderup and Vangelis Pavlidis will form the attacking line-up for Besiktas. Possible lineup:
- Goalkeeper: Anatoliy Trubin
- Defenders: Nuno Santos, Antonio Silva, Nicolas Otamendi, Victor Dahl
- Midfielders: Fredrik Aursnes, Leandro Barreiro, Orkun Kökçü
- The three forward players are Kerem Aktürkoglu and Andreas Schjelderup in addition to Vangelis Pavlidis.
Tactical Breakdown
Barcelona’s Strategy
As the home team enjoying an advantage Hansi Flick will employ a controlled approach to establish control over match tempo. The Norwegian team can maintain defensive pressure with their one-goal advantage to prevent Benfica from attacking while aiming for breakaway counters. Peszko Szczesny’s strong performance gives Barcelona defensive confidence as they prepare to deal with Benfica’s forward players using Felix Araujo’s physical presence. Pedri and de Jong will manage the ball possession to give service to Yamal and Raphinha who will attack the opposite sides. Lewandowski positions himself at the penalty area to produce opportunities from any incoming play.
The emotional state of the match seems to indicate Barcelona will begin with a defensive approach while reserving their offensive strength for later phases of the game. The recent Defensive results at Camp Nou indicate Barcelona’s strength while the successful counterattacks shown in Lisbon could repeat themselves again.
Benfica’s Game Plan
To remain in the competition Benfica should initiate offensive play during the kickoff since one goal gives them survival chances. Eduardo Lage aims to conduct aggressive defensive pressing to create Barcelona defensive blunders but will depend heavily on fast counterattacks between opposition wide players. Theiphase combination of Aktürkoglu and Schjelderup presents difficulties for Balde and Kounde and Kökçü plays an essential role in creating opportunities for the hosts. The team faces a dangerous situation by establishing numbers in the offensive zone because Barcelona will utilize counterattacks to attack them as seen in the first leg matchup.
The team will need to be prepared for aerial situations because Otamendi and Silva represent significant threats through the air. To succeed in this matchup Benfica must find the right balance between aggressive play and defensive discipline because overcommitting may lead to deaths from Barcelona’s accurate forwards.
Historical Context and Key Stats
Head-to-Head History
The Champions League history shows that Barcelona dominates Benfica as they secured five victories from eleven clashes but Benfica collected just two wins against Barcelona. The Blaugrana have maintained a perfect home record against Benfica in European matches during the last four encounters while shutting out their opponents in each of the previous three games. In the current season Barcelona managed consecutive wins against Benfica by scoring 5-4 goals in the league stage followed by a 1-0 away victory during the first round of games—both matches taking place at the Benfica home ground in Lisbon.
Key Statistics
The Estadi Olímpic serves Barcelona exceptionally well since they secured victories in five of their recent seven matches while scoring 14 goals. Benfica regularly experience knockout failure in the Champions League with five exits in their previous six tie runs after losing the opening match. The Portuguese side maintains a weak performance in Spanish territory since they won one game in their previous ten matches visiting Spain. The 2.1 goals per game scoring average from Benfica’s Liga Portugal matches implies Barcelona faces a danger of conceding goals when facing their opponents’ offensive strength.
Prediction and Viewing Details
Match Prediction
Barcelona will secure victory at home through their defensive toughness along with their counterattack ability and their strong stadium advantage. Barcelona possesses an experienced offense which their top attackers Lewandowski and Raphinha will use to beat any Benfica defensive flaws and gain a victory despite their opponent’s fierce offensive play. The match should unfold as an emotional contest because the local fans will use their sadness to energize a determined victory.
The anticipated score of this match will be Barcelona obtaining a 2-1 victory over Benfica which will result in a 3-1 aggregate win for Barcelona.
How to Watch
TNT Sports 1 in the UK and Discovery+ (5:00 PM UK time) together with Paramount+ in the United States (12:45 PM PDT) broadcast this match live. This Champions League match should not be missed by any sports fan.
