‘He is a terrible headache’… Benfica defender says he is ready to face in-form Barcelona winger | OneFootball

FC Barcelona are going to face SL Benfica tonight as they brace for a crucial match in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie at the Montjuic.

The Blaugranes are the stronger team on paper, but keeping in view how the last two games have gone between the two sides, the Portuguese team will be more than ready to spring a surprise against the Catalans.

Some individual battles will prove to be pivotal in determining the outcome of this game, and one such battle will be that of one of the most in-form Barcelona players, Raphinha, and the Benfica defender Tomás Araújo.

The defender was the player who spoke to the press ahead of this game, and as Mundo Deportivo has reported, one of the subjects that he spoke about in this press conference was his upcoming battle with the Brazilian star.

The Portuguese defender admitted that facing Raphinha would be difficult for him, while also claiming that he was ready for this battle:

“He is the most difficult player, without a doubt. He is a terrible headache, but I am ready for this challenge if I get to play.”

In addition to his individual battle with the Brazilian, Araujo believed his team could also get the better of Barcelona in tonight’s game:

“We will play without pressure, we are prepared, we have confidence, and we hope to achieve victory by playing our football and converting the chances we get. We must have confidence in ourselves—we have created many chances in recent matches, and if we do it again, we can get a great result against Barcelona.”

With the way the last two games between the two sides have gone, tonight’s crucial game promises to be a highly entertaining one. The battle between Raphinha and Araujo will be one to keep an eye on, as it was the Brazilian who proved to be the difference for Barcelona in the first leg last week.