PREVIEW | Benfica v FC Barcelona

As the FC Barcelona anthem goes, we are stronger together. A slogan that needs to resonate at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica against a very unified Benfica side in this first chapter of the Champions League last 16 tie. Hopefully it will be another magical night in Lisbon to match the last time Hansi Flick's Barça played there.

This Benfica v FC Barcelona simply has to be conditioned by what happened during the league phase. FC Barcelona fans will be casting their minds back to that incredible comeback on 21 January that sealed passage into the last 16. The 4-5 result will surely see the Portuguese side wanting to redress the balance, especially after FC Barcelona went on to win when losing 4-2 with 77 minutes gone. 

Outcome of two-legged tie in 2005/06 bodes well 

If prior knockout meetings are anything to go by, being drawn against Benfica may turn out well for FC Barcelona. It's only the second time they have met for two-legged tie in Europe, as prior meetings were in the group stage, or most dramatically, the famous European Cup defeat in Berne.

The teams first met in a knockout round in the 2005/06 Champions League quarterfinals. It finished 0-0 at the Estádio Da Luz, before a 2-0 win at the Spotify Camp Nou, with Ronaldinho and Eto'o the goalscorers, saw Barça through to go on and lift the trophy in Paris. Could history repeat itself in European football's premier club competition this time too?

Two teams in form

Back in the present, both Benfica and Barça on unbeaten runs, albeit Flick's side have gone more games undefeated than Bruno Lage's outfit. Benfica have won six and drawn one, with the latter coming in the play-off round home leg to see them through against Monaco. The blaugranes are unbeaten in 2025, with 12 wins and three draws.

A notable name in the Portuguese side is Vangelis Pavlidis, the forward who both scored the hat-trick in the 4-5 against Barça and is Benfica's top scorer this season with 15 goals. Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha are the obvious attacking threats for the blaugranes. The Brazilian has 12 goal involvements (eight goals and four assists) in eight games in this season's Champions League, while the Pole is second highest scorer in the competition with nine. That's not to leave out Lamine Yamal of course, who invariably can make the difference.

Looking beyond the fixture's potential main protagonists, both teams are known for showing unity. A clear example is the slogan E pluribus unum (the many, one), protected by an eagle on Benfica's crest. And FC Barcelona have both the anthem and Flick recounting how the dressing room is very close-knit. Let's not forget the fans of course, as this last 16 tie will see Barça supported by 1,600 blaugrana fans in the Estádio Da Luz. We are stronger together.