It’s customary for the Champions League to overdeliver on drama but rarely quite like Tuesday night’s game between Barcelona and Benfica.

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Benfica forward Vangelis Pavlidis has scored the third-fastest hat trick at the start of a Champions League game on Tuesday, against Barcelona. The Greece international scored two minutes into the match and then in the 22nd and 30th minutes as Benfica led Barcelona 3-1 at halftime.

Benfica are second in their domestic league, Primeira Liga, three points behind cross-city rivals Sporting Lisbon, but are 15th in the 36-team league stage in Europe. Barcelona are second in Europe with five wins and one defeat to date but are third in the Spanish top flight, seven points behind table-topping Real Madrid.

Benfica will square off against FC Barcelona on Matchday 7 of the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica.

Barcelona pulled off a spectacular comeback as they defeated SL Benfica 4-5 at Estadio Da Luz, after having been down 3-1 at half-time. A brace from Robert Lewandowski from the penalty spot, coupled

Raphinha struck a dramatic winner in stoppage time as Barcelona came from behind to beat Benfica 5-4 in a wild match on Tuesday and ensure direct qualification to the Champions League last 16.Szczesny saved former Real Madrid star Angel Di Maria's low shot before Raphinha's dramatic winner.

Barcelona fight back from being two goals down twice to snatch a dramatic late victory away at Benfica to clinch their place in the Champions League last 16.

La Liga giants Barcelona on Tuesday secured for themselves a piece of European football history.This came owing to the efforts of the Blaugrana in the club’s showdown with Portuguese heavyweights