Barça v Benfica: Did you know?

Benfica showed what they are capable of when Barça visited Lisbon earlier this season, winning 3-0 and playing some highly impressive football. The Catalans need to avenge that setback if they are to progress to the last sixteen of the Champions League (Tuesday at 9.00pm CET). Here’s what they are up against:

Five out of six on the road

Benfica have the best away record in the Primeira Luga, having won at Vizela, Vitoria Guimaraes, Santa Clara, Moreirense and Gil Vicente and only dropped points in a draw at Estoril. Away from home they have scored 14 goals and conceded just three.

Barça past

Alejandro Grimaldo grew up at La Masia and wore the blaugrana colours until December 2015, whereupon he left for Portugal. He has been a huge success there, governing the left flank as a regular starter.

History on our side

Benfica have failed in their three previous attempts to win at Camp Nou. Their most recent visit was for a 0-0 draw in 2012, while they lost the two times before that.

Only two teams have ever won home and away against Barça in a Champions League group: Dynamo Kyiv (1997-98) and Bayern Munich (1998-99).

Attacking threat

Benfica is the second highest scoring team in the Primeira Liga with 27 goals (one fewer than Porto’s 28). The side likes to attack, and the stats show that their favourite route is crosses into the area, with a massive 235 scoring chances already created that way this season.

The main target men are Rafa Silva are Darwin Nuñez, with five goals each in the league. The latter also has three in the Champions League.

Veteran boss

The mastermind behind it all is Jorge Jesús. He has managed the team for eight years across two separate periods, starting in 2009-10, since when he was guided the Eagles to three league titles and two UEFA Europa League finals. Jesus returned to Benfica in 2020-21 after spells at city rivals Sporting, Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia and Flamengo in Brazil, with whom he won the Libertadores Cup.

This will be his fifth meeting with Barça, but he still looking for his first win

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