UEFA YOUTH LEAGUE: FC Barcelona 0-3 Benfica

UEFA YOUTH LEAGUE: FC Barcelona 0-3 Benfica

Home defeat to the Portuguese side means qualification for the knockout stage is now a mathematical impossibility

FC Barcelona will not be playing in the knockout stages of the UEFA Youth League. Òscar López’s side lost 3-0 to Benfica at the Estadi Johan Cruyff on Tuesday, and that means that regardless of what happens on the final day, it will be the Portuguese side and Dynamo Kyiv who take the top two places.

On a soaking wet afternoon, the Catalans had plenty of early ball and chances. Aleix Garrido, Txus Alba and Fermín all came close, and Luzzi hit the post. But the ball didn’t want to go in.

It did for the opposition though. Martim Neto fired in 25-metre scorcher to put them ahead just before the half hour, and Tomás Araújo converted a penalty in first half injury time.

Barça fought long and hard to get back into things, but in their efforts got caught on the counter. Costa Santos finished things off, and there was no way back from there on. The Youth League campaign is over.

MATCH STATS

FC Barcelona: Rafús, Miki Juanola (Arnau Solà, min 64), Almeida, Chadi Riad, Álex Valle, Casadó (Alastuey, min 82), Estanis (Mamadou, min 64), Aleix, Luzzi (Víctor Barberà, min 72), Txus Alba and Fermín (Zacarías, min 72).

Benfica: Samuel Soares, Joao Tomé (Ferreira, min 86), Tomás Araújo, António Silva, Rafael Rodrígues, Madeira Fernandes Felix, Costa Santos (João Neto, min 80), Martim Neto, Joao Resende (Silva Semedo, min 46), N’Dour (Neves, min 28) and Da Silva Moreira (Ricardo Marques, min 86). 

Goals: 0-1, Martim Neto (min 29), 0-2, Tomás Araújo, de penal (min 49). 0-3, Costa Santos (min 63).

 

Força Barça
Força Barça

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