BARCELONA (Reuters) -Benfica held Barcelona to a scoreless draw within the Champions League on the Camp Nou on Tuesday night time, that means the second group to qualify for the Spherical of 16 from Group E behind Bayern Munich will probably be determined within the remaining recreation of the group stage.
Barca are two factors forward of Benfica with one recreation nonetheless to play, however they face a frightening process within the final group once they journey to Germany to tackle Bayern, who’ve an ideal profitable report thus far. Benfica, in the meantime, host winless Dinamo Kyiv at house in Lisbon of their remaining recreation.
Benfica’s supervisor had mentioned on Monday that “a draw could be worse for Barcelona” and he was true to his phrase. Benfica defended stoically, closing down assaults with a strong five-man line of defense, leaving Barcelona answerable for the ball a lot of the time – however distant from their purpose.
For Barca, nonetheless, the match was one other disappointing wrestle, they usually now have simply two targets to their identify in 5 video games within the group stage of the competitors.
Barca defender Ronald Araujo put it merely to reporters afterwards: “We had a fantastic recreation, the perspective was good, we defended effectively – it was solely the purpose that was lacking. We nonetheless have the final recreation. It’s difficult however not inconceivable towards Bayern.”
Barcelona’s first problem of the day confirmed up hours earlier than the sport, when a storm hit the town, bringing heavy rain with it, however that did not postpone 49,572 followers from making it to the Camp Nou.
Whereas new supervisor Xavi appeared to have shortly mounted many points just like the group’s depth, rhythm, ball management and collective effort, scoring stays an issue.
Barca had 61% of the ball however created only some probabilities, together with a shot throughout purpose from Yusuf Demir within the first half, a header from Frenkie de Jong after the break, and a volley from Araujo that went in solely to be disallowed as a result of he was in an offside place.
Benfica had their alternatives too, however Barca keeper Marc Andre ter Stegen stored out a header from Roman Yaremchuk, whereas Haris Seferovic failed to attain what appeared just like the winner when by means of on purpose in a stoppage-time counterattack, infuriating his coach.
“In my 30 years as a coach, I’ve by no means seen a participant miss a chance like this. Sadly, it occurred to us,” Jorge Jesus instructed reporters.
(Reporting by Fernando Kallas; Modifying by Hugh Lawson)
