Barcelona come back with a comeback against Benfica in a match that witnessed 9 goals

Barcelona came from behind in a thrilling comeback to beat hosts Benfica 5-4 in the seventh round of the Champions League, league stage.

Barcelona raised its score to 18 points and greatly boosted its hopes of reaching the round of 16 before the end of the unified group qualifiers, and at least guaranteed playing in the knockout match qualifying for the round of 16.

Veteran Polish striker Robert Lewandowski (13 and 78 from two penalties), Brazilian Rafinha (64 and 90+6) and Eric Garcia (86) scored Barcelona's goals, while Greek Vangelis Pavlidis scored a hat-trick for Benfica in the 2nd, 22nd and 30th minutes from a penalty kick in addition to an own goal from Barcelona's Uruguayan defender Ronald Araujo (68), Benfica's goals.

Barcelona fell behind three times in the match, 0-1, 3-1 and 4-2, before emerging victorious in a crazy scenario.

Benfica opened the scoring early when Spaniard Alvaro Fernandes sent in a perfect cross into the area for Greek striker Vangelis Pavlidis to tap home after two minutes.

🔥🔥 A historic match.. A historic comeback

⚽️ Rafinha scores Barcelona's fifth goal and turns the tables on Benfica #UEFAChampionsLeague | #BenficaBarcelona #UCL pic.twitter.com/yKpowZ4I4G

- beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) January 21, 2025

Barcelona responded from a penalty kick after their full-back Alex Balde was obstructed inside the area, and their veteran Polish striker Robert Lewandowski successfully converted it (13).

Barcelona's Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny made a grave mistake by going out of his goal and failing to clear the ball, leaving Pavlidis alone in front of an empty goal and giving Benfica the lead again (22).

Szczesny made a new mistake by obstructing the Turkish player Kerem Aktürkoğlu inside the area, so the referee awarded a penalty kick, which Pavlidis took to complete the hat-trick (30).

Barcelona managed to reduce the difference in the second half with a strange goal after Benfica's Ukrainian goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin cleared a ball that hit the head of Brazilian Rafinha and went into the net (64).

But Benfica quickly responded with a fourth goal when Barcelona's Uruguayan defender Ronald Araujo tried to clear a cross and accidentally turned it into his own net (68).

🔥🔥 Eric Garcia saves Barcelona and scores an equaliser with a precise header #UEFAChampionsLeague | #BenficaBarcelona #UCL pic.twitter.com/bjeYyFRH2X

- beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) January 21, 2025

The referee awarded a third penalty kick in the match and a second for the Catalan team, which Lewandowski successfully took (78), raising his tally to 8 goals in 7 matches at the top of the scorers’ list, reducing the difference to one goal.

Barcelona defender Eric Garcia snatched a draw with a header four minutes from time before Rafinha scored the winner in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

This was the tenth encounter between the two teams in the Champions League since the first in 1961, with Barcelona leading with four wins, two losses and four draws.

Source: beIN Sports