Barcelona 3-1 Benfica (4-1 on aggregate): Raphinha and Yamal star as Catalans power through

Barcelona paid a fitting tribute to former first-team doctor Carles Minarro Garcia by easing past Benfica on an emotional night in Catalonia.

Minarro Garcia, 40, passed away shortly before Saturday’s game against Osasuna, prompting the match to be postponed, and the Barca players were visibly moved during a period of remembrance prior to kick off.

Coach Hans Flick said yesterday the players would perform for Minarro Garcia and they certainly did that with a stylish display that marks them out as a serious contender for this year’s Champions League.

Front and centre, as has often been the case this season, were Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.

The pair combined to hand Barca a commanding 3-1 half-time lead that Benfica never looked like overturning given they came into the second leg already 1-0 down from the fixture in Lisbon last week.

Next up for Barca is a quarter-final clash against either Lille or Borussia Dortmund.

Yamal creates opener – but did he mean it?

Yamal had already tested Benfica goalkeeper Anatolii Trubin before the 17-year-old created the opener with a wonderful bit of play.

He burst through the Benfica defence on the right edge of the area before his sliced shot – or was it a cross? – was perfect for Raphinha to volley in at the back post.

The lead lasted for just two minutes as Benfica hit back from their first serious attack.

Andreas Schjelderup’s left-wing corner was inadvertently flicked on by Robert Lewandowski and Nicolas Otamendi reacted well to power a header past Wojciech Szczesny.

The goal meant former Manchester City defender Otamendi became the third oldest player to score in a Champions League knockout game behind Edin Dzeko and Ryan Giggs.

He swiftly returned to the day job of trying to keep Barca at bay, although it was becoming an increasingly difficult task as the home side swarmed forward.

Dani Olmo volleyed wide before Yamal’s long-range effort had Trubin scrambling across his line.

Step forward the teenager

Yamal’s next intervention was stunning.

The Spain international cut in from the right, skipping past Florentino and Samuel Dahl and, even though the ball seemed slightly behind him, he somehow wrapped his left foot around it to bend a pin-point shot into the top left-hand corner.

“The prince is not far off becoming the king round this place” 👑

Lamine Yamal’s produces a wonderful curler to make it 3-1 on aggregate to Barcelona 🤩

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At 3-1 down on aggregate it was looking a long way back for the Portuguese side and they temporarily wilted.

Trubin saved well from Lewandowski four minutes before half-time but the Ukrainian goalkeeper was powerless to prevent Barca from increasing their advantage further 60 seconds later.

Alejandro Balde played in Raphinha and the Brazil forward made no mistake with a crisp finish for his 11th Champions League goal of another hugely impressive season. 

Barca ease through second half to march on

Fredrik Aursnes had a goal disallowed for offside at the start of the second half and with that Benfica’s chances of a comeback evaporated.

With the visitors accepting of their fate and Barca in no mood to twist the knife, the second half was a lot quieter than the first.

There was still the odd highlight, one brilliant Barca move involving Frenkie De Jong, Raphinha, Jules Kounde and Yamal almost resulting in a tap in for Netherlands midfielder De Jong.

Wonderful football from Barcelona ends up with Frenkie de Jong failing to convert from close range 😯

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A raft of late substitutions, including the departure of Yamal to a standing ovation, disrupted the flow of the game but Barca’s supremacy was never threatened.