Benfica manager confident previous performances will knock Barcelona out

Benfica manager Bruno Lage will not be changing things up against Barcelona on Tuesday night, as his side attempt to pull off a major shock at Montjuic. The Eagles have played Barcelona twice in the space of a month, coming out on the wrong side by one goal on two occasions, despite a difference of eight goals between them.

Before Lage spoke to the press in Barcelona, Hansi Flick said that he would not be changing much ahead of the clash, and did not feel that Benfica would be doing so either. Lage confirmed as much.

“The approach is similar to that of the two previous games against Barca, perhaps with some different nuances in the strategy. Barca like to keep the ball, play deep, look for one-on-one opportunities, press… For us the most important thing is to create opportunities, it is decisive, but we must have the quality to take advantage of them. Coming back would give us a lot of prestige,” Lage told MD.

In his eyes, Benfica had both games where they wanted them, and the only thing that was missing was a ruthless streak from the Portuguese giants.

“We have the feeling that we could have won the two previous games because we created many chances and we believe that we can do it now. We’ll stick with the positives, we want to continue those two previous games against a Barca that is a great team, with high-quality players, it’s the only team that hasn’t lost in 2025.”

"We prepare the strategy well to put pressure on the centre-backs, we look at which foot they use to play out from the back, the passing lines they tend to use…"

#Benfica manager Bruno Lage on Pau Cubarsi's absence for #FCBarcelona. #UCL pic.twitter.com/qoENfoVv7f

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“I don’t think we lacked anything in those two games, only goals. If we create so many chances again, we’ll have a chance. We have to play our game. Is Barca’s high defence an opportunity or a problem? A bit of both, because they defend spaces very well.”

One of the major absences for Benfica is Alvaro Carreras at left-back, who is now suspended. Lage seemed to confirm Samuel Dahl would be deputising for him.

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“We prepare for each match in the same way. Dahl has adapted very well to the club and the way of playing, we have used him in different positions.”

Another player who has been ruled out is Angel di Maria, through injury, who did not travel with the team to Barcelona. The Blaugrana have more or less a fully fit squad available, although Flick has two selection dilemmas, beginning with the absence of Pau Cubarsi, also suspended after his red card in the first leg.