Barcelona goes hard against Benfica and increases Koeman’s concerns

Wednesday, September 29, 2021 at 10:51 PM• Jeroen van Poppel

Barcelona also lost its second group match in the Champions League on Wednesday evening. On a visit to Benfica, Ronald Koeman’s team handled the chances created carelessly, while the Portuguese countered effectively: 3-0. The pressure on Koeman will increase further after the poor result. Barcelona are scoreless at the bottom of Group E, while Benfica occupies second place with four points. Bayern Munich won the other game in the group against Dynamo Kiev (5-0) and is at the top with six.

Koeman decided to return to the 5-3-2 formation in Lisbon, which Barca had last used in the game against Bayern Munich. Sergi Roberto returned from illness and played right back, while Frenkie de Jong and Pedri took place in midfield together with Sergio Busquets. In the front, Memphis Depay and Luuk de Jong formed the striker couple, just like against Bayern.

Already in the third minute, Barcelona fell behind due to a razor-sharp counter from Benfica. Darwin Núñez dribbled into the penalty area from the left and could not be stopped by Eric García, after which the left striker hit the short corner: 1-0. Barça quickly had a huge chance to equalize, when Frenkie de Jong broke through and put the ball wide on Luuk de Jong. The striker seemed to be able to slide the ball into the empty goal, but had not counted on defender Lucas Verissimo’s sliding.

Barcelona kept looking for the attack and Pedri shot just wide from the penalty area. Depay was launched moments later by a good pass from Frenkie de Jong, but the striker encountered Verissimo’s sliding with his left hand. Koeman brought Frenkie de Jong to the defense after half an hour. Gerard Pique, who already had a yellow card and got away with a second foul, was taken off at that time and replaced by midfielder Gavi.

Benfica could have increased its lead six minutes after the break, when Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen came out of his goal unnecessarily and let Núñez pass. The attacker then aimed at the post from a great distance. On the other side, Luuk de Jong miraculously failed to enter a ball from close range on a pass from Ronald Araújo, although the possible goal would not have counted anyway due to offside in the run-up.

Koeman brought in Nico González, Philippe Coutinho and Ansu Fati in the hope of forcing an equaliser, but got the lid on the nose a minute later. João Mário encountered Ter Stegen after a one-two with Roman Yaremchuk, after which Rafa Silva took advantage by shooting the rebound beautifully with the outside right into the roof of the goal: 2-0. Things got even worse for Barcelona when Dest hit a header from Gilberto in the arm, causing a penalty. That was pushed in by Núñez: 3-0. Barcelona had to go on with ten men in the final phase, when García grabbed the body of Gonçalo Ramos and received his second yellow card.