Barcelona’s hopes of a powerful first-leg exhibiting in Lisbon have been handed a hefty blow after Pau Cubarsi was given a straight pink card of their first-leg tie with Benfica.
Cubarsi was dismissed with simply twenty minutes gone after being adjudged to have denied a goalscoring probability as Benfica’s hazard man, Vangelis Pavlidis, burst by.
At half-time, nevertheless, the rating remained goalless.
It was removed from the beginning Barcelona boss Hansi Flick would have been hoping for, because the La Liga leaders face a probably nervy night inside a raucous Estadio da Luz.
BARCELONA DOWN TO 10 MEN! 🟥
Pau Cubarsi is distributed off for a problem on Vangelis Pavlidis outdoors the field
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/yiDocQTxEm
— Soccer on TNT Sports activities (@footballontnt) March 5, 2025
The earlier assembly between the 2 sides within the league part again in January ended 5-4 to Flick’s aspect after an exciting contest.
Benfica will sense a possibility to enact revenge whereas additionally boosting their probabilities of progressing to the final eight forward of a second-leg conflict on the Nou Camp subsequent week.
The Portuguese aspect are notoriously robust in entrance of their dwelling followers and are at present on a formidable eight-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
They beat Monaco 4-3 on combination within the league part play-offs to achieve the Spherical of 16.
