By: Kwame Bediako
Barcelona pulled off an astonishing comeback to defeat Benfica 5-4 in a thrilling Champions League battle. Vangelis Pavlidis scored a quick-fire hat trick in the opening half-hour, leaving Barcelona’s defense reeling. Robert Lewandowski’s penalty briefly leveled the score, but Benfica regained their lead before the break.
The second half saw a dramatic turnaround, with Raphinha reducing the deficit and Ronald Araujo’s own goal briefly putting Benfica back in control. However, Lewandowski’s second penalty and Eric Garcia’s late header brought Barcelona level. In a stunning finale, Raphinha scored on the counter-attack in the 96th minute to seal a remarkable victory for Barcelona.
Meanwhile, Liverpool secured passage to the Champions League round of 16 with a hard-fought 2-1 win over ten-man Lille at Anfield. Mohamed Salah opened the scoring, and despite Jonathan David’s equaliser, Harvey Elliott’s deflected effort sealed the win for Liverpool.
In other action, Bologna came from behind to defeat Borussia Dortmund 2-1, earning their first win in the competition this season. Juventus, meanwhile, were held to a goalless draw by Club Brugge in a lackluster encounter.
Atletico Madrid fought back to earn a 2-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen, with Julian Alvarez striking twice. The win saw Atletico climb to third in the standings. PSV, meanwhile, held out for a 3-2 victory over Red Star Belgrade despite being reduced to ten men.
The results saw several teams secure crucial victories to boost their Champions League prospects. Barcelona’s dramatic comeback will be remembered for a long time, while Liverpool’s hundred percent win rate in the group phase ensured their passage to the round of 16.
The Champions League action will continue on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, with several intriguing encounters lined up.
