Barcelona: Barcelona’s hopes to qualify for the last Champions League down to the E Matchday finals after a 0-0 draw entertaining against Benfica on Tuesday.
With Xavi Hernandez who took over his second game since replacing Ronald Koeman at Barca Dugout, the Catalan team produced the performance of the world apart from the apologies sorry Benfica saw 3-0 in Lisbon in September.
A victory will get Barca’s qualification with Bayern Munich, which they must now defeat on December 8, if Benfica Down Dynamo Kiev, to advance.
Ronald Araujo, Barcelona defender who has a late effort is not permitted, told UEFA.com: “We play exactly the boss game asking us, pressing the high pitch in particular.
All we have is an important goal.” In heavy rain, the hosts were refreshed with Xavi dripping with new intensity and speed.
Only wood was rejected by Yusuf Demir’s teenager late in the first round.
The winger, with loans from Vienna Rapid, curved shots from within the penalty area to defeat Odyssea Vlachodimo, but not the crossbar.
The fast reflex of the number opposite Greek goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen denied the header nearby Roman Yaremchuk 10 minutes earlier.
In front of nearly 50,000 fans challenging winter nights in Catalonia, Barca appeared for the second period in the dominant mood, but Benfica held firm.
Coach of Portuguese visitors, Jorge Jesus refreshed his team at the clock, Darwin Nunez came to Yaremchuk and Adel Taarabt for Joao Mario.
Xavi then introduced Dembele Ousmane for Demir, the French World Cup winner injected several late steps.
In 68 minutes from Frenkie De Jong’s header had a ‘opening goal’ in completely, only for Vlachodimo to tip on the bar.
With a hour ticking, Araujo thought he had given a decisive moment but his efforts were seven minutes from the time offside.
Four minutes of injury time proved there was no place for those who fainted, because both parties came out for the winner.
And Benfica was almost getting it, Jesus squeezed knelt after watching Haris Seferovic Fluff was a great opportunity with only Ter Stegen to be defeated.
Like that, the deadlock left Barca in second place with seven points, two in front of Benfica, and their Champions League wealth rested on Munich in two weeks.
Xavi Hernandez Barcelona was held by Benfica in the Champions League
