Barcelona will look to book their place in the Champions League quarter-finals when they host Benfica on Tuesday in the second leg of their last-16 tie. The Blaugrana hold a narrow advantage after securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory in Lisbon last week, despite playing most of the match with 10 men following Pau Cubarsi’s early red card.
Originally scheduled to return to La Liga action against Osasuna on Saturday, Barcelona saw their fixture postponed due to the tragic passing of first-team doctor Carles Minarro Garcia. The club remains in a period of mourning but is now focused on preparing for their crucial clash against Benfica.
Benfica, meanwhile, heads into the game in strong form, having secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Nacional in the Primeira Liga on Saturday. Barcelona will need to overcome injury setbacks and suspensions as they aim for a second consecutive quarter-final appearance.
Robert Lewandowski was left out of the squad for the postponed Osasuna match due to physical discomfort. However, the veteran striker is expected to be available to lead the attack against Benfica, providing a crucial boost for Hansi Flick’s side.
Defensive concerns persist with Andreas Christensen suffering a recurrence of a calf injury after recently returning from a lengthy Achilles issue. The Danish defender is likely to remain sidelined until April, ruling him out of Tuesday’s clash.
Marc-André ter Stegen has been out since September after sustaining a serious knee injury against Villarreal. Although initially ruled out for the season, there is growing optimism that the German goalkeeper could return before the campaign concludes.
Young midfielder Bernal continues his recovery from an ACL injury sustained against Rayo Vallecano in August. His rehabilitation remains on track, but he will not feature again this season, with a full return expected for the 2025-26 campaign.
Barcelona will also be without Pau Cubarsi, who is suspended after receiving a straight red card for a last-man foul on Vangelis Pavlidis in the first leg. His absence will force Flick to make defensive adjustments as the team looks to secure progression to the next round.