In the early morning of January 22 (Vietnam time), Barcelona defeated Benfica with a score of 5-4 at Estadio du Luz. The match ended when players from both sides argued and it is said that it continued until they entered the tunnel.
In the final minutes of the match, Leandro Barreiro was hit by a Barcelona defender in the penalty area. However, the referee did not award them a penalty or warn their opponents, making the home team players angry.
Substitute Arthur Cabral was shown a red card for his violent reaction to the decision, with Benfica coach Bruno Lage also expressing his disapproval.
According to Movistar, a fight broke out between players from both teams in the tunnel after the match, forcing police to intervene. Raphinha was reportedly pushed away from the Benfica players, although the exact cause of the tension is unknown.
After the match, the Brazilian player shared: "They insulted me at the end of the match, so I responded to them. If they respect me, I can respect them. In my opinion, the Benfica players understood the situation, but they still tried to insult me."
This victory helped Barcelona qualify for the knockout round of the Champions League with second place in the group, with the highest goal difference in the tournament.
Meanwhile, Benfica are in 18th place but could drop even lower after the series ends on January 23.
