After escaping Lisbon with a 1-0 slender lead secured by a 10-man Barcelona, Hansi Flick has a major test awaiting in the 2nd at the Montjuic. In Pau Cubarsi‘s absence, who is suspended for the return leg, Hansi Flick must find the right combination in defense and overall to get his side over the line.
Benfica’s expected plan
Bruno Lage will play with the same game plan as he has in the other two matches against the Catalan giants. Benfica will try to sit back to deny Barcelona any space in their half. Intense pressing from Benfica midfielders will make life difficult for Barca’s midfield, although Barca has the quality to evade this pressing.
Quick counterattacks through long balls will be launched to catch Barca’s high line off guard. Benfica has succeeded in creating ample chances through this tactic in the previous two games vs. Barca. Angel di Maria won’t be available for Bruno Lage’s squad because he is injured.
Cubarsi’s loss and how Flick can cope
In my opinion, Barca should play a similar lineup that they had in Lisbon with Araujo and Ferran Torres replacing Pau Cubarsi and Lewandowski. The young defender is suspended for the match, and in my opinion, Araujo is the best replacement. The absence of Cubarsi will limit the backline’s ability to make line-breaking passes. However, Araujo brings his own abilities to the game, which are being an aggressive, strong, and fast defender. His ability to track back and shut down counterattacks will provide Barca with safety.
Ferran Torres should start ahead of Robert Lewandowski. Barcelona need to secure an early lead in the game. A decisive lead of at least 2 goals should be acquired before halftime. The best way to do this is to overload Benfica’s back-line with attack after attack. Lewandowski is a poacher who only drops deep for holdup play. Ferran on the other hand can make runs on either wing, particularly on the left with Balde to confuse defenders. He also makes constant in-behind runs to score goals. Barca will need to retain most of the possession. Pressing high and forcing an error out of Benfica’s back-line can present Barca with big chances just like the previous two games. Ferran presses more and faster than Lewandowski, who is too old to be as intense.
Pedri, Frenkie de Jong and Olmo are the ideal option in midfield as they provide both ball retention and attacking threat. Pedri will hope to put on another masterclass against the Portuguese side as Frenkie will provide both ball progression and defensive security. Olmo, who was sacrificed in the first leg, will look forward to opening up Benfica’s tight defense.
In conclusion, this is a must-win game for Hansi Flick and his men to qualify for the quarter-finals and keep the UCL dream alive. The team must also win this for Dr. Carles who tragically passed away before the La Liga game against Osasuna.