Champions League quarter-final first leg/Benfica 0 Barcelona 0: Favourites Barcelona let Benfica off lightly with some poor finishing in their Champions League quarter-final first leg last night, in a match that was far more exciting than the 0-0 scoreline suggests.
Midfielders Deco and striker Samuel Eto'o were guilty of bad misses after being set up by Ronaldinho, while Benfica's Brazilian goalkeeper Marcelo Moretto saved well with his foot from Mark van Bommel in a one-sided first half.
Barcelona controlled the match, although their goalkeeper Victor Valdes also made decisive stops from lively substitute Fabrizio Miccoli and the home side's captain Simao Sabrosa in an evenly contested second period featuring Benfica counter-attacks.
"Everything is open for the second-leg game," Moretto said. The teams face each other in the second leg match at Barcelona's Nou Camp next Wednesday.
"It was a shame we couldn't score, but the team worked hard and played quite well," said Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard. "In the next game we're sure to score. Normally, a draw away from home is a good result."
Moretto also pushed a Henrik Larsson effort from the right on to the near post and made a fine diving save from Van Bommel in the final half hour. The visitors, who also hit both Benfica posts in quick succession early in the second half, were lucky when, with less than 20 minutes to go, they did not have a penalty awarded against them for handball by defender Thiago Motta.
Ronaldinho's probing passes were a constant menace and when he put Eto'o away on the left for the Cameroon striker to cross low into the middle in the 18th minute, Deco side-footed the ball wide of the far post with the goal at his mercy.
Benfica, with striker Nuno Gomes suspended, were reduced to attempting shots from outside the penalty area in the first half with former Barca forward Geovanni coming closest in the 23rd when he shot just over the bar. Just past the half hour, Moretto blocked well when Van Bommel raced through from the left into the middle past three defenders and shot with his left foot.
Benfica came closest on the hour when Valdes saved Miccoli's shot from the left and defender Giovanni van Bronckhorst blocked Geovanni's follow-through with his body.
BENFICA: Moretto, Ricardo Rocha, Luisao, Anderson, Leo, Beto, Petit, Manuel, Simao, Robert (Miccoli 45), Geovanni (Karagounis 68). Subs Not Used: Quim, Mantorras, Karyaka, Marcel, Nelson. Booked: Miccoli.
BARCELONA: Valdes, Belletti, Oleguer, Motta, Van Bronckhorst, Deco (Gabri 76), Van Bommel, Iniesta, Larsson (Giuly 76), Ronaldinho, Eto'o. Subs Not Used: Jorquera, Maxi Lopez, Ezquerro, Sylvinho, Rodri. Booked: Iniesta, Deco, Belletti.
Referee: S Bennett (England).
