Barcelona vs Benfica: Match facts, previous meetings, key players
Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Article summary
All you need to know ahead of the UEFA Women's Champions League Group D opener.
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Barcelona, winners of the 2020/21 UEFA Women's Champions League, begin their quest to recapture the title at home against Benfica as Group D of the 2022/23 kicks off.
The Blaugrana, who lost to Lyon in the Turin final last season, have reached the showpiece of this competition in three of the last four seasons – also being beaten by the French outfit in 2019 before defeating Chelsea in emphatic fashion two years later.
Barça extended their record haul of Primera División titles last term with their third in succession and seventh overall – winning all 30 of their league games in the process and scoring 159 goals along the way.
Benfica, who became the first Portuguese side to reach the last 16 of this competition in 2021/22, finished third in last season's Group D behind eventual champions Lyon and Bayern München, with whom they drew 0-0 in their opening group match.
As Águias, who sealed back-to-back Campeonato Nacional Feminino titles last term, overcame Kosovan side Hajvalia (9-0) and Eredivisie holders Twente in Round 1 of qualifying. They then secured a 5-3 aggregate success against Scottish champions Rangers in Round 2, although they required extra time in the Lisbon second leg (3-2 a, 2-1 h aet).
Players to watch
Geyse Ferreira
The 24-year-old scored just over an hour into her Barcelona debut in a 2-0 home win against Tenerife in the Primera División on 17 September.
She also struck twice in the 7-0 home victory over former side Madrid CFF on 1 October.
The attacker joined the Blaugrana in June following the expiry of her Madrid contract.
Despite a 13th-placed finish with Madrid in last season's Primera División, she struck 20 goals to share the league's top scorer honours with Barcelona's Asisat Oshoala.
Ferreira spent just over 18 months with Benfica, joining the newly-formed club ahead of the 2018/19 campaign.
The forward hit 51 goals for As Águias in their first ever season as they clinched the Portuguese second division title and the domestic Cup.
The striker joined the Lisbon club after a spell with Madrid, with whom she would re-sign after leaving Portuguese football.
The Brazilian international was part of the Seleção side that lifted the Copa América Femenina in July, coming on as a late substitute in the 1-0 final win against hosts Colombia.
Ana Vitória
The 22-year-old hit two goals in the 3-2 first-leg win in Round 2 against Rangers in Glasgow on 20 September.
She also scored in both of Benfica's Round 1 victories, against Kosovan title holders Hajvalia and Dutch champions Twente.
The Brazilian international started nine of Benfica's ten matches in last season's UEFA Women's Champions League, qualifying included.
The only fixture she missed in last season's competition was the Matchday 3 home loss to Häcken, when she sustained an injury in the warm-up.
Ana Vitória moved to Benfica as an 18-year-old from Brazilian side Corinthians in January 2019.
The midfielder spent two years with the São Paulo club, helping Corinthians to their first Copa Libertadores trophy in 2017 and their maiden league title the following year.
Her time at Corinthians included a spell as a team-mate of current Barcelona forward Geyse Ferreira.
Key facts
Barcelona have won each of their last 14 UEFA Women's Champions League home games, scoring 52 goals and conceding only seven.
Barça won all six matches in the last season's group stage, scoring 24 goals while conceding only one.
The Blaugrana have not conceded a goal in their last five matches in the group stage.
Barcelona have scored four or more goals in eight of their last nine UEFA Women's Champions League home games.
The Spanish side have scored 148 goals in the UEFA Women's Champions League.
Benfica have won each of their four European matches this season.
The Portuguese side won only one of their six matches in the last season's group stage, losing four.
Benfica failed to score in five of their six matches in the the 2021/22 group stage.