There is considerable agreement among football fans worldwide that the Estadio de Luz may have just hosted one of the UEFA Champions League’s most exciting matches.
On a historical night in Lisbon, we saw an incredibly entertaining match between Benfica and Barcelona, creating new history with the first-ever 5-4 scoreline since the inception of the Champions League.
A match filled with calamitous errors and attacking flair was eventually capped off by Barcelona’s new-found saviour, with Raphinha guiding the ball past Anatoliy Trubin deep into stoppage time to claim all three points.
But despite the chaos, we were able to identify key tactical elements that were crucial for both teams attacking success (and defensive weaknesses) on the night.
Hansi Flick’s unwavering determination to instil his tactics and principles in his new Barcelona squad appeared to limit their control in the first half, creating moments of weakness which Bruno Lage’s Benfica could exploit.
However, as with Barcelona’s successes so far in this campaign, the German coach’s genius always seems to prevail.
Our tactical analysis will begin by delving into some of the key tactical moments that influenced the match, including crucial tweaks in the second half that dramatically changed the outcome.
Benfica Vs Barcelona: Starting Lineups & Formations
In an attempt to qualify for the playoff rounds of the competition, Benfica were desperate for the points necessary to avoid the dreaded zone of no return.
They started with Anatoliy Trubin in goal behind a defensive line of Alvaro Carreras, Nicolás Otamendi, Antonio Silva and Tomas Araujo.
Their midfield line of Fredrik Aursnes, Florentino Luis and Orkun Kökcü offered an exciting blend of roles and talents which looked to nullify Barcelona’s own strengths through the middle of the park.
Benfica’s attack was capped off with Kerem Aktürkoglu and Andreas Schjelderup offering a presence on the wings, with a striker in Vangelis Pavlidis who certainly knows how to find the back of the net on big occasions.
For Barcelona, a major talking point surrounded the selection of Wojciech Szczesny in goal for the Blaugrana, especially considering the benefit that Iñaki Peña would bring with his sweeping talents in behind a high defensive line.
Despite operating in varied roles and zones while in possession, Barcelona’s backline consisted of Jules Koundé, Ronald Araújo, Pau Cubarsí, and Alejandro Balde.
The supremely talented midfield trio of Marc Casado, Pedri and Gavi lined up as an outstanding advert for Barcelona’s youth program.
Raphinha and Lamine Yamal lined up on either wing for the away side.
These two players are quickly developing their ‘world-class’ tagline with outstanding performances this season.
They are two fantastic options to supply Robert Lewandowski, who is leading the line.
The Koundé Conundrum
Jules Koundé is quickly becoming one of the most talented right-backs in world football, but his attacking desire was evident from the start that it was hurting Barcelona’s rest defence and out-of-possession structure.
It coincides with a clear attacking threat from left-back Alejandro Balde from the left flank, usually leaving just the two central defenders within the defensive line for Barcelona.
While this is often remedied by a defensive-minded midfielder dropping between the two centre-backs to offer support, Flick’s team selection was perhaps missing that true ball-winner who could break up play.
From the opening minutes, it became evident that Barcelona’s defensive weakness would be related to these pockets of space that appeared out wide, especially when the Barcelona defensive line shifted heavily across the pitch.
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