**4d ago** 15.09&nbsp;EDT

**Half-time postbag.** Another email! How about that. “I never know what to make of Hansi Flick,” writes Justin Kavanagh.

Any old excuse to relive Hans-Dieter’s finest moment.

**4d ago** 14.49&nbsp;EDT

**Half-time advertisement.** Time to contemplate tonight’s big showdown at Anfield. Yara El-Shaboury has the details. And yes, this tie is over, but you’ll still come back for the second half, yes? Please!

**4d ago** 14.38&nbsp;EDT

**HALF TIME: Barcelona 3-1 Benfica (agg 4-1)**
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Barcelona have been simply sensational. They could easily have had six or seven. This is over, now just a damage-limitation exercise for Benfica. Unless something very strange happens: Barca scored four second-half goals in Lisbon in January after all. But let’s be realistic, Barca are as good as in the quarter-finals.

**4d ago** 14.29&nbsp;EDT

**GOAL! Barcelona 3-1 Benfica (Raphinha 42); agg 4-1**
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… but it doesn’t matter, because Balde bombs down the centre of the pitch before slipping a pass to Raphinha on his left. Raphinha whistles a shot across Trubin and into the bottom right. It’s all over!

**4d ago** 14.28&nbsp;EDT

**Half-time postbag.** It’s teeming over with an email. “I hope Wojciech Szczęsny took the time to light up a crafty fag in appreciation after that frankly outrageous Yamal goal,” writes Justin Kavanagh.

Any old excuse to relive Hans-Dieter’s finest moment.

**4d ago** 14.18&nbsp;EDT

**33 min:** That second Barca goal has taken a little bit of wind out of the  sail. They had gone toe to toe with their hosts for the first quarter of an hour, but now, not so much.

**39 min:** Olmo slips a pass down the right for Yamal, who is this close to scuttling clear. Schjelderup saves the day with a fine last-ditch tackle. Then a counter, with Pavlidis sprung free down the  left. He opens his body and pings a fine curling shot across Szczęsny and off the junction of crossbar and right-hand post. Then the flag pops up for offside, correctly so. It wouldn’t have counted, but perhaps that’ll give Benfica a little succour.

**37 min:** That second Barca goal has taken a little bit of wind out of the  sail. They had gone toe to toe with their hosts for the first quarter of an hour, but now, not so much.

**35 min:** Replays of that Yamal goal … my oh my. He just pinball-flippered that shot with his boot. A gentle golf wedge. A crisp flick of a table-tennis bat. Comparisons to other leisure pursuits are available. Such elegance. Raphinha mimed shoe-shining Yamal’s boot during the celebration, and as Glenn Hoddle observes on TNT Sports, Yamal certainly deserved the buff.

**31 min:** Just as they did upon conceding the first goal,  win a corner pretty much immediately from the restart. Schjelderup down the right this time. Pavlidis swings it in but it’s an easy claim for Szczęsny. No instant on-the-night equaliser this time.

**29 min:** Just as they did upon conceding the first goal,  win a corner pretty much immediately from the restart. Schjelderup down the right this time. Pavlidis swings it in but it’s an easy claim for Szczęsny. No instant on-the-night equaliser this time.

**27 min:** Pedri is clipped from behind by Kökçü. It’s a foul, nothing more. Pedri flashes an imaginary card while rubbing his ankle, which is a bit unnecessary, especially after a garden-variety challenge.

**25 min:** The atmosphere is electric at the stadium. Fans wave their hands and chant ‘Vamos!’ in unison. It’s a truly emotional moment for the players and the fans.

**23 min:** It’s 2-0 and the game is up for grabs, with both teams playing the game of their lives. The crowd is going wild, and the fans are on their feet for the celebration.

**21 min:** The game is in the mix. Both teams are firing at each other with powerful shots, and there’s a lot of pressure on the home side. But it’s clear that this is a match to remember, with a potential quarter-finals spot at stake.

**19 min:** It’s a fantastic match, with both teams going above and beyond in their efforts to secure victory. The tension is palpable, and the atmosphere is electric. The players are firing on all cylinders, and the fans are on their feet for the celebration. It’s a truly thrilling experience.

**17 min:** It’s a match like no other, with both teams taking their time to settle into the game. The match is a real battle, with both teams playing with great passion and focus. The defense is tight, and the attackers have been swooping in to steal the ball from the opposing side. It’s a hard-fought battle, and the game is on the line from start to finish.

**14 min:** The atmosphere is electric at the stadium. Fans wave their hands and chant ‘Vamos!’ in unison. It’s a truly emotional moment for the players and the fans.

**12 min:** The match is back on track. Both teams are playing the game of their lives, and they’re not giving up easy. The pressure is on, and the crowd is going wild. It’s an intense and thrilling experience for everyone involved.

**10 min:** The match is in full swing. Both teams are going above and beyond in their efforts to secure victory. The pressure is on, and the crowd is going wild. It’s an intense and thrilling experience for everyone involved.

**7 min:** The match is in full swing. Both teams are going above and beyond in their efforts to secure victory. The pressure is on, and the crowd is going wild. It’s an intense and thrilling experience for everyone involved.

**4 min:** The match is in full swing. Both teams are going above and beyond in their efforts to secure victory. The pressure is on, and the crowd is going wild. It’s an intense and thrilling experience for everyone involved.

**2 min:** The match is in full swing. Both teams are going above and beyond in their efforts to secure victory. The pressure is on, and the crowd is going wild. It’s an intense and thrilling experience for everyone involved.

**1 min:** The match is in full swing. Both teams are going above and beyond in their efforts to secure victory. The pressure is on, and the crowd is going wild. It’s an intense and thrilling experience for everyone involved.
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