Benfica vs Barcelona match facts

Benfica have clawed their way back into contention in UEFA Women's Champions League Group D with back-to-back victories against Rosengård, but they face a daunting task to keep their momentum going as they play host to a Barcelona side that inflicted a thumping defeat on the Eagles on Matchday 1.

The Spanish champions will seal qualification for the quarter-finals with a game to spare if they avoid defeat in Seixal. Benfica will be unable to finish in the top two if they lose to Barcelona and Bayern avoid defeat, or if Benfica draw and Bayern win.

Barcelona earned a club-record European victory on the group's opening night with a 9-0 success at home to their visitors from the other side of the Iberian peninsula. No fewer than seven players got on the scoresheet, Asisat Oshoala scoring two goals and setting up two more to win the Player of the Match award and Geyse also hitting a double after coming off the bench.

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 Lyon, the eventual champions, and Bayern München.

The Eagles, who sealed back-to-back Campeonato Nacional Feminino titles last term, overcame Kosovan side Hajvalia (9-0) and Dutch title holders Twente (2-1) in round 1 of qualifying this season before claiming a 5-3 aggregate success against Scottish champions Rangers in round 2 (3-2 a, 2-1 h aet).

However, after suffering their heaviest European defeat at the Estadi Johan Cruyff on Matchday 1, in their first European meeting with a Spanish club, Benfica then surrendered a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 in added time at home to Bayern. A recovery followed as they picked up six points against Rosengård, Cléo Lacasse scoring the only goal at home and two more in Sweden, where Nycole Raysla was also on target in a come-from-behind 3-1 success.

Barcelona, who were unable to defend their European crown last season, losing 3-1 to Lyon in the Turin final, have reached the showpiece of this competition in three of the last four seasons. The Blaugrana also went down to the French outfit in 2019 before defeating Chelsea 4-0 to capture their first title 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 and scoring 159 goals.

Barcelona consolidated that huge opening win against Benfica – in their first European fixture against Portuguese opponents – by beating Rosengård 4-1 in Sweden eight days later. They then made it nine points out of nine by defeating Bayern 3-0 at home, but fell to their first group stage defeat on Matchday 4 as the German club won 3-1 in Munich, Geyse's consolation strike nevertheless giving them head-to-head advantage over the two matches.

Players to watch

Francisca Nazareth

Francisca 'Kika' Nazareth has been one of the emerging stars for Benfica over the past two UEFA Women's Champions League campaigns.

The Portugal international turned 20 only on 17 November and was an influential figure in the Benfica starting XI in both of their Group D victories against Rosengård, providing two assists in the 3-1 win in Sweden on Matchday 4.

She made her senior club debut for the Eagles at 16 and has helped the club to the Portuguese league title in each of the last two seasons.

Nazareth has scored four goals – all in qualifying – in 19 UEFA Women's Champions League appearances.

A Portuguese youth international, she made her senior debut at 17 in March 2000 and has scored five goals for her country this calendar year, including three in qualifying matches for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Lucy Bronze

The experienced 31-year-old England international right-back added her name to Barcelona's star-studded squad when she joined from Manchester City in the summer.

Barcelona are the fifth club for whom she has played European football, having already done so for Everton, Liverpool, Manchester City (in two spells) and, predominantly, Lyon, winning the UEFA Women's Champions League in all of her three seasons with the French club – 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20.

Overall Bronze has played in 48 European matches, scoring six goals. She has appeared in all four games for Barça this season, starting three.

The numerous individual distinctions she has collected over the course of her career include the 2018/19 UEFA Women's Player of the Year award and the 2020 Best FIFA Women's Player.

A star of the 2015 and 2019 Women's World Cups with England, she also played a prominent role in the Lionesses' UEFA Women's EURO 2022 triumph and won her 100th cap in October.

Key facts

The Portuguese side have won only three of their ten UEFA Women's Champions League group stage matches (D1 L6), losing five in a row before the Matchday 3 win against Rosengård.

Benfica have failed to score in five of their ten group games, but have found the net in all of the last three.

The Lisbon club failed to win any of their first four home games in the group stage (D1 L3) before defeating Rosengård on Matchday 3.

Barcelona won their first nine UEFA Women's Champions League group stage matches, scoring 40 goals and conceding just two, before going down 3-1 at Bayern on Matchday 4.

Barça have won 14 of their last 17 UEFA Women's Champions League games, losing the other three.

Barcelona have failed to score in only two of their last 39 European games.