FC Barcelona staged a sensational comeback against Portuguese giants Benfica to secure direct qualification to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. 2-4 down in the 75th minute, Barcelona scored three goals in the final 20 minutes of the game to complete a remarkable turnaround. In-form Brazilian winger Raphinha starred once again, scoring twice, including a dramatic 96th-minute winner, while Robert Lewandowksi also bagged a brace. The win puts Hansi Flick’s men in second spot in the Champions League table.

Barcelona started on a terrible note, conceding a second minute goal, as Benfica’s Greek striker Vangelis Pavlidis struck.

While Lewandowski did equalise from the penalty spot 10 minutes later, fortunes got worse for Barcelona in the rest of the first half.

Pavlidis took advantage from an error by Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny to score into an empty net and make it 2-1. Soon after, Pavlidis completed a memorable hattrick, converting from the spot and leaving the visitors 3-1 down inside the first half an hour.

Watch: Barcelona’s sensational comeback vs Benfica

Barcelona came back from 4 goals to win .

All goals highlight here pic.twitter.com/JeCXADafMc

— SHAYEE (@tier_firstt) January 21, 2025

Raphinha equalised in the 64th minute as he intercepted a poor goal kick by Benfica to head home, but it seemed like a comeback was not to be when Ronald Araujo conceded an own goal, leaving Barcelona 2-4 down.

But the dramatic encounter had more surprises, which kickstarted with another penalty, as Lewandowski scored from the penalty spot in the 78th minute.

In the 86th minute, Eric Garcia headed home a delicate Pedri cross, drawing Barcelona level at 4-4 with four minutes of regulation time to go.

And the comeback was concluded in the 96th minute. Despite only four minutes of stoppage time added, Barcelona were allowed to play on in a counter attack from a Benfica corner. Raphinha was sent through on the right flank, but maintained incredible composure to cut inside and slot home the dramatic winner.

Barcelona, thereby, became the second team to ensure their Round of 16 place after Liverpool.

Raphinha struck a dramatic winner in stoppage time as Barcelona came from behind to beat Benfica 5-4 in a wild match on Tuesday and ensure direct qualification to the Champions League last 16. Benfica were leading 4-2 with under 15 minutes remaining but Barcelona mounted a stunning late comeback to stay three points behind leaders Liverpool. Vangelis Pavlidis hit a first-half hat-trick for the hosts, in part thanks to two big errors by Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

However a Robert Lewandowski double from the penalty spot, Eric Garcia’s header and a brace for Raphinha helped Barcelona claim a stunning last-gasp triumph in Lisbon.

“It was a crazy game… Benfica did well in the first half but we made a lot of mistakes,” said Barcelona coach Flick.

Barca showed grit to keep fighting after going in 3-1 down at half-time and swiftly conceding again after Raphinha pulled one back.

“The mentality of the team, they always believe in themselves and this was unbelievable to see,” said Flick.

“In the second half we created more chances than them and we deserved it.”

Benfica opened the scoring in the second minute, when Pavlidis escaped Pau Cubarsi and fired home from Alvaro Carreras’ low cross.

Barcelona responded swiftly with Lewandowski scoring from the penalty spot after Alejandro Balde was brought down by Benfica defender Tomas Araujo.

The hosts nosed back ahead through a stroke of luck, when Szczesny raced out of his goal to try and cut out a through-ball, but crashed into Balde.

Greece international Pavlidis gleefully collected the loose ball and rolled his second into the empty net.

Barcelona, who lured Szczesny out of retirement to replace the injured Marc-Andre ter Stegen in October, soon fell further behind.

Pavlidis completed his half-hour hat-trick with a penalty after another Szczesny mistake, with the goalkeeper flying in to try and dispossess Kerem Akturkoglu but bringing him down.

Barca battle back

Lamine Yamal and Raphinha missed good chances before the break as Barcelona pushed forward.

Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin saved from Jules Kounde, who should have scored, and Lewandowski could not turn home from Pedri‘s dangerous ball across the face of goal.

Raphinha pulled one back for Barcelona in bizarre fashion as a clearance by Trubin struck his head on the edge of the area and flew back into the net.

However, Benfica soon struck again, with Ronald Araujo nudging past Szczesny into his own net as he tried to cut out a cross.

Barcelona kept pushing and Lewandowski converted another penalty after Nicolas Otamendi brought down Yamal.

The Catalan giants, who last won the Champions League in 2015, pulled level when substitute Garcia headed home from Pedri’s inviting cross.

Szczesny saved former Real Madrid star Angel Di Maria‘s low shot before Raphinha’s dramatic winner.

With Benfica appealing for a penalty, Barcelona sprang a quick breakaway and the Brazilian winger slotted home to end a blockbuster battle.

Players from both sides clashed after the final whistle as tempers flared following the thrilling denouement.

“We knew how hard it would be here, in front of their fans, and they know how to play really well, they have top level players,” Raphinha told Movistar.

“We didn’t let ourselves sink at 3-1 down, we were focussed on what we needed to do to try and change the game.

“It was a spectacular game for everyone. They could have won, or us, but we managed to take it.”

A second-half Jamal Musiala goal got Bayern Munich back on track in the Champions League with a 1-0 home win over Benfica on Wednesday. Struggling in Europe after back-to-back losses left them outside the knockout places, Musiala broke through the stubborn Benfica defence, heading in a Harry Kane assist. Bayern were dominant in possession but carved out few clear-cut chances, lacking fluency in front of a silent home crowd who refused to sing out of respect for a hospitalised fan.  

Despite the win, Bayern still have work to do in Europe, with this season’s Champions League final on home soil. 

The German giants sit 17th, one behind Dinamo Zagreb who they beat 9-2 in their opener. Bayern face French champions Paris Saint-Germain next in the competition.

“We had good moments. The opponent defended well. It was very important to get three points today,” Musiala said after the match. 

“We don’t have to win every game by four or five goals. Sometimes 1-0 is enough. We had to be patient. Now we carry on and look to the next game.”

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said: “Sometimes it’s good to win like this — even though we of course prefer to win by three or four. 

“I knew we needed to stay patient and calm. We did that well. It was a good game and a good win.”

Unbeaten at the top of Bundesliga table under Kompany, Bayern have struggled in the Champions League this season despite the barnstorming opener against Zagreb.

A 1-0 loss at Aston Villa and a 4-1 thrashing by a supercharged Barcelona under former Bayern boss Hansi Flick had the six-time European champions flagging in the Champions League’s new single-league format.

With the match delayed by 15 minutes due to public transport issues and with their home fans silent due to a medical emergency in the stands, Bayern struggled. 

Bayern captain Manuel Neuer told reporters the side “didn’t celebrate in the cabin like we normally would” due to the incident. 

Musiala and Michael Olise dribbled in from either flank but were unable to break through a Benfica side looking to sit deep and take advantage of Bayern’s risky high line on the counter.

The best chance of the opening half fell to Serge Gnabry, who forced a strong save out of Anatoliy Trubin on the half-volley after 38 minutes. 

As the game wore on Bayern grew nervous, even if Benfica had few genuine chances as they looked for a first win in their 11th match against the hosts.

Leroy Sane added speed after his substitution and the former Manchester City winger would prove crucial, finding Kane who in turn set up Musiala to break the deadlock with just over 20 minutes remaining.

Bayern’s final match before the international break comes on Saturday in Hamburg against St Pauli.

Swedish forward Viktor Gyokeres’ goals have powered Sporting’s title success.© AFP