Champions League: 10 Man Barcelona Edge Benfica

Raphinha scored the only goal of the game to give Barcelona a 1-0 Champions League last-16 first-leg win at Benfica, despite the Catalan giants playing most the game with 10 men.

Eighteen-year-old defender Pau Cubarsi was sent off midway through the first half of the tight clash in Lisbon on Wednesday with the score goalless.

Raphinha drilled home after 61 minutes to give five-time winners Barcelona a slim advantage on Bruno Lage’s side ahead of the second leg next Tuesday.

Barcelona have not won the competition since 2015 but are expected to go deep this season, after a draw which many consider favourable.

Hansi Flick insisted before the game there was no such thing as an “easy” Champions League tie and the coach was proven right on a tense evening in the Portuguese capital.

“I’m very proud,” the German coach said after his team emerged with a victory.

Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny endured two high-profile mistakes against Benfica in the league stage in January but made amends with a string of saves as Barca were pinned back in the final half-hour.

- Al Jazeera and news agencies