Barcelona paid an appropriate tribute to the former doctor of first team Carles Minarro Garcia by attenuating Benfica during an emotional night in Catalonia.
Minarro Garcia, 40, died shortly before Saturday’s match against Osasuna, which prompted the match to be postponedAnd the Barça players were visibly moved during a period of memory before kick -off.
Coach Hans Flick said yesterday that players would perform for Minarro Garcia and that they certainly did it with an elegant exhibition that marks them as a serious competitor for this year’s Champions League.
The front and the center, as has often been the case this season, were Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.
The pair was combined to hand over the Barca a 3-1 lead to half-time that Benfica never felt reversal since they entered the second floor already 1-0 of the Lighting Lighting last week.
The next step for Barça is a quarter -final confrontation against Lille or Borussia Dortmund.
Yamal creates the opener-but did he say it?
Yamal had already tested Benfica goalkeeper Anatolii Trubin, before the 17 -year -old created the opening with a wonderful game.
He broke out through the defense of Benfica on the right edge of the area before his edge shot – or was it a cross? – was perfect for Raphinha to fly to the rear post.
The advance lasted only two minutes when Benfica retreded after their first serious attack.
The left corner of Andreas Schjelderup was inadvertently lit by Robert Lewandowski and Nicolas Otamendi reacted well to feed a head in front of Wojciech Szczesny.
The goal meant that former Manchester City defender Otamendi became the third oldest player to score in a direct elimination match of the Champions League behind Edin Dzeko and Ryan Giggs.
He quickly returned to day employment to try to keep Barça at a distance, although it became an increasingly difficult task while the interior team swarmed forward.
Dani Olmo flew widely before Yamal’s long -term effort rushed to Trubin on her line.
Advance the teenager
Yamal’s next intervention was magnificent.
International Spain cut from the right, passing in front of Florentino and Samuel Dahl and, even if the ball seemed slightly behind it, it somehow coined its left foot around to fold a peak stroke in the upper left corner.
“The prince is not far from becoming the king around this place” 👑
The Lamine Yamal produces a wonderful completing to do it 3-1 in aggregate in Barcelona 🤩
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At 3-1, in the total, he was looking for a long way back for the Portuguese side and they temporarily withered.
Trubin saved Lewandowski well four minutes before half-time, but the Ukrainian goalkeeper was helpless to prevent Barça from increasing their advantage still 60 seconds later.
Alejandro Balde played Raphinha and the Brazil striker was not mistaken with a clear finish for his 11th goal in the Champions League of another extremely impressive season.
Barça facilitates the second half to walk
Fredrik AuRsnes was rejected for the offside at the start of the second half and with Benfica’s chances of returning.
With visitors who accept their fate and barça in mood to twist the knife, the second half was much quieter than the first.
There was still the strange culminating point, a brilliant movement of Barça involving Frenkie de Jong, Raphinha, Jules Kounde and Yamal, which led to a tap for the midfielder of the Netherlands of Jong.
The wonderful football of Barcelona is found with Frenkie de Jong who does not convert at close range 😯
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A raft of late substitutions, including the departure of Yamal to a standing ovation, disturbed the flow of the game, but the supremacy of Barça has never been threatened.
