Benfica 4-5 FC Barcelona, UCL: Raphinha Scores Late On As Barca Win Nine-goal Thriller

Barcelona hero Raphinha declared he is in the best form of his career after his 96th-minute strike handed the Blaugrana a stunning 5-4 Champions League win over Benfica. (More Football News)

Raphinha scored twice as Barcelona b𒐪ooked their place in the competition's last 16 by fighting back from 3-1 and 4-2 down to win an incredible game in Lisbon.

Raphinha's winning෴ goal – a low strike on the counter attack moments after Benfica had a penalty appeal knocked back – was timed at 95 minutes and eight seconds.

That is Barcelona's latest winning goal on record in the competition (since 2003-04), while his 10 goal involvements (eight goals, two assists) are the most of any player in the Champions Leag🐎ue this season.

Speaking to Movistar a🍌fter his dramatic intervention, the Brazilian s♔aid: "I think I'm in the best moment of my career.

"We knew it would be a pretty tough game. I know the difficulty of playing here, in front of their fans. T𝐆hey know how to play very well and💛 have players of the highest level. 

"We didn't fall apart at 3-1 in the first half. We came back focused to change the game. It was a spectacular match for everyone. B💫﷽enfica could very well have won, but we took it."

Tuesday's game was the first in Champions League history to finish 5-4ꦛ, with Barca becoming just the second team to win a match in the competition despite conceding four goals (after Borussia Dortmund 8-4 Legia Warsaw in November 2016).

It was also the first time Barca had come from two goals down to win a European Cup or Champioℱns League game, and just the second m🎃atch in the competition to see Benfica lose after going two goals up (after a 3-2 loss to Red Star Belgrade in September 1984).

Head coach Hansi Flick saiꦍd of their fightback: "The most positive th𒁏ing was the mentality we had, we came back and it's wonderful, this is football. 

"I have never experienced 🍌a comeback like this. Benfica are very good, they made us defend deep."

Both sets of players became involved in a fracas at full-time, and Raphinha claims a number of Benfica players – infuriated by the failure to penalise Fermin Lopez in the build-up to the winner – hurled▨ insults atꦆ him.

"I am a person who respects everyone. When I left the fie✤ld there were people who insulted me. I returned the insults, I know I shouldn't," the winger 💙said.

"We all got heated, but the Benfica players pr🥂eferred to insult𒊎 me. I'm a person who doesn't take anything home.

"I respect if they respect me, but I don't shut up if ꦍthey insult me. It's normal after a game that ends like this."