‘Police break up post-match altercation exterior the Barcelona dressing room’ – following the LaLiga giants’ dramatic late over Benfica

Police intervened in a tunnel bust-up exterior the Barcelona dressing room after LaLiga facet’s controversial and dramatic late win over Benfica, experiences in Spain declare. 

Goalscorers Raphinha and Eric Garcia had been concerned within the fracas, in keeping with a report, whereas Benfica president Rui Costa left his station to query the refereeing workforce after the ultimate whistle. 

The house facet had been  incensed by the choice to award Raphinha’s 96th-minute winner after they’d been denied a penalty within the construct as much as the dramatic strike. Substitute Arthur Cabral was proven a straight crimson card from the bench, whereas Benfica gamers surrounded Dutch referee Danny Makkelie to passionately protest the decision. 

In response to Portuguese outlet A Bola, tempers continued to flare as each units of gamers went down the tunnel on the Estadio da Luz, with legislation enforcement required to interrupt up the altercation. 

Match winner, Raphinha, whose late strike accomplished a surprising comeback from 4-2 down and secured Barcelona’s place within the Champions League last-16, hit out at Benfica gamers and alleged that he had been insulted. 

‘They insulted me on the finish of the match, I insulted them again,’ Raphinha mentioned.

Benfica president Rui Costa reportedly left his stating to go and query the refereeing workforce over the decision

Raphinha’s 96th-minute winner fired Barcelona into the last-16 of the Champions League

‘In the event that they respect me, I respect them. For my part they may have understood the scenario, however they most well-liked to insult me.’

The loopy match on Tuesday night time caught fireplace after just a few minutes when Vangelis Pavlidis tapped in from shut vary.  

Robert Lewandowski equalised from the spot 10 minutes later earlier than two howlers from Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny gifted Benfica a two aim cushion.

Szczesny, who got here out of retirement to resolve Barcelona’s damage disaster, raced out of aim and collided together with his team-mate Balde.

Pavlidis was available to information the ball into the empty web to place Benfica 2-1 up.

The ahead accomplished a first-half hat-trick from the penalty spot after Szczesny fouled Kerem Akturkoglu within the field.

Barcelona had been handed a lifeline within the second half courtesy of one other goalkeeping error.

Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin’s cleared the ball immediately onto the top of Raphinha, with the ball bizarrely bouncing again into the web within the sixty fourth minute.

The Brazilin alleged that he was insulted by Benfica gamers after scoring the winner aim

Benfica boss Bruno Lage was seen after the ultimate whistle providing a vocal critique to his gamers

The chaos continued when Benfica reestablished their two aim benefit 4 minutes later.

An Andreas Schjelderup cross was deflected into his personal web by Ronald Araujo to go away Barcelona staring on the prospect of defeat.

Barcelona arrange a grandstand end when Lewandowski transformed his second penalty of the web, with the referee waving away Benfica’s protestations on the awarding of the spot-kick.

The Catalan giants then equalised within the 86th minute with Eric Garcia rising highest to plant a header into the Benfica web.

A dramatic conclusion adopted when Benfica appealed in useless for a second penalty of their very own on the night time, just for Barcelona to interrupt clear and rating a winner by way of Raphinha.

Benfica boss Bruno Lage was seen after the ultimate whistle providing a vocal critique to his gamers after holding a two aim lead on two events within the match, solely to lose.

‘Enormous frustration on the consequence. Enormous pleasure within the show and the help of the Benfica household from begin to end,’ Lage mentioned post-match.

‘We’ve to choose ourselves up. We’ve to look ahead, study from the consequence, from the final minutes of the sport.’