Following a thrilling nine-goal encounter in the league stage, Benfica and Barcelona meet once again on Wednesday night in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 clash at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.
Benfica secured their place in this stage after edging past Monaco in the playoff round, setting up another showdown with Barcelona, who were one of the strongest teams in the group phase, only outperformed by Liverpool.
The highly anticipated clash between Barcelona and Benfica will kick off on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 23:00 Saudi time (20:00 GMT). The match will be broadcast live on beIN Sports 2 HD, with commentary from Issam Chaouali.
Barcelona’s Expected Starting XI vs Benfica
Goalkeeper: Wojciech Szczęsny
Defenders: Alejandro Balde, Pau Cubarsí, Ronald Araújo, Jules Koundé
Midfielders: Pedri, Marc Casadó, Gavi
Forwards: Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal
