Official, Barça Signs to Eliminate Benfica From Champions League: 'raphinha, Substitute'

Barça and Benfica will face each other in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League, the top continental competition, in a match that promises to be very exciting. Besides the existing rivalry on the field, Barça also intends to unleash another great battle off the field: it will sign to surprise and eliminate Benfica of Bruno Lage. The main victim of this new signing by Barça will be Raphinha, as Barça confirms that it is a left winger who comes to be a starter right away with Flick.

The season of Raphinha, one of Barça's main captains, is being phenomenal, but Flick is preparing a new signing to surprise Benfica, the next rival in the UEFA Champions League. Benfica comes in strong after surpassing Monaco in the Champions League play-off round, so Barça is clear that it needs to sign to surprise. The main affected will be the Brazilian Raphinha who, as we explained in 'e-Notícies', would be a substitute in those Champions matches against Benfica of Bruno Lage.

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Barça was studying the transfer market in case it had to face PSG, but it has decided that it will strengthen itself anyway for this exciting duel against Portuguese Benfica of Lage. Barça and Benfica already faced each other a few weeks ago, when Flick's team sealed an agonizing victory in the last minutes of the match with a great goal by Raphinha. A Raphinha who, by the way, is very likely to be a substitute, as Barça has signed a new left winger who could debut in this UEFA Champions League knockout stage.

Barça Will Face Benfica in Champions, Joan Laporta Prepares a Signing: Serious Problems for Raphinha

Barça and Benfica will face each other in the round of 16 of the Champions, with the particularity that the culer club will face the challenge with a new signing already confirmed. It is a left winger who has already been spotted training in Barça colors and who, according to 'e-Notícies', will sign for the Catalan entity very soon. If they surpass Benfica, Barça would face the winner of Borussia Dortmund-Lille, something that has been celebrated a lot in Can Barça.

Additionally, Barça would only face Liverpool, PSG, Arsenal, Madrid or Atlético de Madrid in a hypothetical Champions League final, which will be played in Munich. Barça knows that this year could be the year of the sixth Champions League, so Joan Laporta has activated the machinery to sign immediately: Raphinha would be a substitute. The signing by Barça had been in the works for a while, but it has finally been closed and will soon be official by the club led and presided over by Joan Laporta.

Official, Barça Signs to Eliminate Benfica from the Champions: 'Raphinha, Substitute'

Raphinha's season is being excellent, but Barça has decided and will go to the transfer market to strengthen the attack, especially for the match against Benfica. Barça already suffered a lot to surpass Bruno Lage's block and, therefore, Hansi Flick has requested reinforcements so that Raphinha can rest and to surprise the Portuguese. The first leg will be played in Portugal and Barça will host Benfica in the return leg, which in this case will be played, as usual, in Montjuïc.

Barça was very interested in Nico Williams, but the signing of the Navarrese can't be closed now and, therefore, the club has had to move in the transfer market. Barça has been quick, but in this market game Flick has played an essential role, recommending a signing that will be closed and will leave Raphinha affected. Barça makes the operation official: everything is set to eliminate Benfica from the Champions, even if Raphinha has to be a substitute.

There is a long way to go for that first leg of the Champions League round of 16, but Barça wants to be proactive and wants to surprise Benfica with a signing. This signing is Amara Diouf, a Senegalese footballer 16 years old who will join Barça with a provisional reserve team card. Diouf will not start initially, but Barça sources confirm that the Senegalese, a natural left winger, arrives with a lot of strength and eager to compete head-to-head with Raphinha.