Barcelona must win against SL Benfica to ensure a place in the Champions League quarter-finals as they have been struggling to end their decade-long European title drought. Following a thrilling nine-goal encounter in the group stage, Barcelona and SL Benfica face off once again in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
The Catalan club will now travel to Portugal to take on Benfica at the Estadio da Luz on Wednesday night. Meanwhile, the home side has been steadily closing the gap on Sporting CP in their domestic league and remains a strong contender for the title. Regarding their Champions League campaign, Benfica finished 16th in the standings.
Desperate Barcelona Face Benfica
Benfica had to overcome AS Monaco in the playoffs to advance to this stage of the tournament. Benfica managed a hard-fought 4-3 win on aggregate to eliminate the French giants and earn a spot in the round of 16 against Barcelona.
Despite entering the first leg on a winning streak and enjoying home advantage, they will still face a tough challenge against one of the world's most prestigious clubs.
Barcelona's last Champions League win came in 2015, and based on their performances so far, they have a strong opportunity to end their ten-year wait for Europe's most coveted trophy. The Blaugrana finished second in the group stage, earning them a direct qualification to the round of 16.
After reclaiming the top position in La Liga, Barcelona will be optimistic about proving their dominance in the Champions League. They come into this match after a thumping 4-0 win over Real Sociedad and should have little difficulty overcoming Benfica.
Earlier in the season, the two sides faced off, with Barcelona edging out a thrilling 5-4 win. Hansi Flick's squad pulled off an impressive comeback to claim all three points in that encounter, but they will be hoping for a more straightforward result this time.
When and Where
The Benfica vs Barcelona UEFA Champions League match will be played at Estadio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal, on Wednesday, March 5. The match begins at 8 PM BST, 3 PM ET and 1:30 AM IST (Feb 12).
How to Live Stream
United States: The Benfica vs Barcelona UEFA Champions League match will be broadcast on Paramount+ in the USA.
The Benfica vs Barcelona UEFA Champions League match will be available to stream online live on Fubo, DirecTV Stream, Paramount+, Unimas, TUDN and ViX.
United Kingdom: The Benfica vs Barcelona UEFA Champions League match will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 2, and is available to stream online live on discovery+.
India: The Benfica vs Barcelona UEFA Champions League match will be broadcast on JioTv. The Benfica vs Barcelona UEFA Champions League match will be available to stream on tabii, Sony LIV.
