Barcelona just pulled off one of the most impressive comebacks that we’ve seen this season to clinch their spot in the top eight of the Champions League league phase with a 5-4 victory over Benfica. As the goals would suggest, this was a wild one that featured a hat trick in the first 30 minutes of play by Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis, but it didn’t stop there with three penalties, an own goal, a red card, and even a header from outside the box, all while it rained like crazy. It also reportedly included a post-match scuffle between Raphinha and members of Benfica over alleged insults.

For some players such as Wojciech Szczesny and most of the defenders, it was a match to forget but with Benfica producing an xG of 3.28 and Barcelona having 3.69, there were plenty of moments to define what has arguably been the best match of the league phase so far. Let’s rank them.

5. The 30-minute hat trick

If not for how the match ended, Pavlidis would’ve been the star scoring three goals on four shots and also forcing the own goal on Benfica’s fourth goal but it ended in a Barcelona victory knocking this down a few pegs. Starting the scoring within the first two minutes with a rocket from inside the box, Pavlidis showed what kind of a match this would be but he also got some help with Szczesny taking out his own defender on one of the goals.

Vangelis Pavlidis completes his #UCL hat-trick against Barcelona 💥 pic.twitter.com/fxuYpYBCQZ

4. The phantom penalty

Right after taking out his own defender en route to Benfica’s goal, Szczesny then was involved in a bit more controversy during the match. In the 30th minute, Benfica were awarded a penalty due to a challenge on Kerem Akturkoglu but upon review, it didn’t seem like the keeper even made contact with the Benfica attacker. Pavlidis wouldn’t miss from the spot, extending Benfica’s lead but if Barcelona hadn’t won the match, this is a moment that would’ve been much bigger due to the magnitude of the occasion.

3. The equalizer from an unlikely source

With all the star-studded attackers for Barcelona, guessing who scored the equalizer would’ve had quite a few names that came to mind like Robert Lewandowski who had a brace in the match, Lamine Yamal who was a pest without scoring, Raphinha or even players who were subbed in like Ferran Torres and Fermin Lopez. It was a substitute who brought the match level but likely the last one who would’ve come to mind is defender Eric Garcia.

Pedri played a great ball into the box that found the head of a streaking Garcia and the next thing that you knew, the match was level 4-4, but Barcelona wouldn’t be satisfied with that.

ERIC GARCÍA HEADS IT HOME TO LEVEL IT AT 4-4 😮 pic.twitter.com/CiwtmJPNyn

2. Raphinha part one

There’s always a wacky goal or two that come out of matches like this one, but in the second half, one of the strangest goals that you’ll see was scored. In the rain in Portugal, Raphinha flicked on a header from outside the box that almost seemed like it was floating as Anatoliy Trubin had no idea that the ball was going past him. This all came off, wait for it, a goal kick. The commentator’s suggestion that maybe the goal was cursed after Szczesny’s performances in the first half could have some merit.

The most bizarre #UCL goal you’ll see this season 😳 pic.twitter.com/7epl1Q0RyX

1. Raphinha part two

After already being heavily involved in the match, Raphinha wasn’t going to only be satisfied with his one goal popping up in the 96th minute of play to score the winner. The ball went from a scuffle in Barcelona’s own box where Benfica wanted a penalty to Ferran Torres kicking it out for the Brazilian to go coast to coast. It was a stunning goal, completing a run of Barcelona scoring three unanswered goals to turn the match around. VAR took a look and determined that it wasn’t a penalty as Trubin’s match-to-forget continued.

90+6 WINNER FROM RAPHINHA TO SEND BARCA THROUGH 🤯🔥 pic.twitter.com/F3YuS6Z2YD