Barcelona 2 Benfica 0: Ronaldinho made amends for an early penalty miss at Camp Nou last night by scoring the goal which set Barcelona up for a Champions League semi-final clash with AC Milan.
The Fifa World Player of the Year missed from the spot in the fourth minute, but gave his side a 1-0 lead against Benfica following last week's goalless first leg in Lisbon. And Samuel Eto'o made it 2-0 on aggregate with two minutes remaining to crush Benfica's hopes of an away-goal winner.
Barcelona were given a golden opportunity to edge in front in the tie after less than four minutes when Mark van Bommel's cross hit Petit's arm and referee Lubos Michel awarded a penalty. Ronaldinho struck it towards the left of the goal, but Marcelo Moretto continued his heroics from the first leg in Lisbon with an excellent parried save.
But in the 19th minute Ronaldinho made up for his penalty miss by giving the home side the lead. Eto'o robbed Leo of the ball and after a one-two with Henrik Larsson, broke into the box on the right. The Cameroon striker pulled the ball back across goal to set up for Ronaldinho who swept the ball home.
Barcelona were denied a second penalty in the 23rd minute when the ball struck Luisao's arm on the edge of the box. Referee Michel judged the offence had occurred outside the area, though, and Ronaldinho's resulting free-kick went wide.
Benfica captain Simao should have levelled - and put his side ahead on away goals - in the 61st minute. Fabrizio Miccoli picked the former Barcelona winger out perfectly with a chipped ball from the right but Simao, in space inside the area, failed to even test goalkeeper Victor Valdes. Ronaldinho had a chance to wrap it up, but he failed to get a shot off and his pass towards eluded Eto'o and Larsson.
Benfica threatened again when Giorgos Karagounis' long-range drive from a free-kick forced a save from Valdes, but in the 88th minute, Ronaldinho collected the ball from deep and managed to sweep it to Juliano Belletti on the right. The full back lofted it over to Eto'o in the centre who controlled it before blasting it past Moretto.
BARCELONA: Valdes, Van Bronckhorst, Oleguer, Puyol, Belletti, Deco, Iniesta, Van Bommel (Edmilson 84), Ronaldinho, Eto'o, Larsson (Giuly 86). Subs not used: Jorquera, Maxi Lopez, Ezquerro, Sylvinho, Rodri. Booked: Deco, Eto'o. Goals: Ronaldinho 19, Eto'o 88.
BENFICA: Moretto, Ricardo Rocha, Luisao, Anderson, Leo, Beto (Robert 72), Petit, Manuel (Marcel 82), Geovanni (Karagounis 55), Miccoli, Simao. Subs not used: Quim, Mantorras, Karyaka, Nelson. Booked: Manuel, Luisao, Anderson.
Referee: L Michel (Slovakia).
