Flick proud as 10-man Barca holds off Benfica

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick said he was proud of his players' effort and sacrifice, as they earned a 1-0 win at Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday, despite playing most of the game with 10 men.

Flick was delighted with his players' maturity and defensive focus, overcoming a red card for 18-year-old defender Pau Cubarsi early in the game, before Raphinha struck a second-half winner.

"It is a great victory," Flick told Spanish TV station Movistar Plus.

"We are thrilled, not only with the win, but also with how we managed to achieve it. We defended very well, defended as a team, that's the most important thing for us. The collective effort from everyone.

"We managed the game well despite going a man down early in the first half, and the response was fantastic, it wasn't easy, but we still have to play the second leg. Benfica are a good team and we have to keep an eye on them."

Flick empathized with his teenage defender Cubarsi, saying that the last-man foul that earned him a straight red was part of the game.

"It is one of those plays that happen in football, and it happened to us today. We all make mistakes. The most important thing is how we responded, and the reaction was great," Flick said, before hailing his goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny for putting in a brilliant performance to frustrate Benfica.

The Polish keeper was Flick's personal project, after the coach convinced Szczesny to come out of retirement and play for Barca after Germany international Marc-Andre ter Stegen sustained a torn knee ligament in September.

"Szczesny was fantastic. It's clear that he is different now than he was when he arrived, every game he is more confident, and we are defending better because of that. I've always known he could play at this level, because I see him every day in training. It's great for us."

On the right flank, after Flick replaced Lamine Yamal early in the second half with Ferran Torres, Raphinha stole in to win the ball back high up the field, walloping home a low, deflected effort from distance.

It was his ninth goal in nine Champions League games, with the forward in the form of his career.

"We had to be focused, we had in our heads that we could get a chance, and, if we did, we had to score," said Raphinha.

Barcelona defended frantically in the final stages as Benfica sought to level, and Szczesny came to the fore.

The host thought it had won a penalty when Szczesny felled Andrea Belotti, but there was an offside in the buildup and Barcelona survived with its lead intact.

"Today, we knew how to defend," said Barca midfielder Pedri.

"After the red we knew exactly what to do, stay together at the back, defend as a block and take advantage of our chances with the players we have up front."

Benfica forward Vangelis Pavlidis felt the Catalans were fortunate.

"It's a big disappointment," said the Greek striker. "But, there is a second game, and everything is still up for grabs."

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