Benfica advanced to the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League after battling to a thrilling 3-3 draw against Monaco at home, following their initial 1-0 victory. The tension on the pitch was palpable as the 'Eagles' found themselves relying heavily on their goalkeeper.
Scheduled on February 18, the match took place at the Estádio da Luz, with high hopes pinned on Benfica continuing their fine form. The absence of key players for Monaco, including Russian midfielder Aleksandr Golovin and defenders due to suspension, led many to see Benfica as the favorites. Despite this, the match turned out to be intensely competitive.
Early signs indicated something amiss for Benfica. They failed to capitalize on numerous chances created and seemed to falter under pressure. The first half saw little from the Portuguese side until Goiás Acturkoglu, exploiting Monaco's defensive error, scored the opener, putting Benfica 1-0 up and 2-0 on aggregate.
Yet, hints of trouble were lurking as Monaco pressed hard for their equalizer. Their efforts bore fruit just before the first half concluded when Brel Embolo capitalized on yet another defensive mishap, bringing the score to 1-1, and level on aggregate (1-1).
The second half began with even more drama. Just minutes after the restart, Monaco surged forward. Akliush delivered a cross to Embolo, whose shot bypassed Trubin to make it 2-1 for Monaco, putting them up 2-1 on aggregate.
Trubin had been hailed as the hero for Benfica’s first match, but his performance this time drew scrutiny. Despite making four important saves, he was involved directly with weaker moments—one particularly notable mistake let Monaco tie the match again late on, leading experts to question the goalkeeping solidness they had come to expect.
After Monaco’s second goal, the pace of the game slowed, with both teams searching for stability. Benfica then earned a penalty via Kerrer’s foul, which Pavlidis converted confidently, bringing the score to 2-2, and Benfica led 3-2 on aggregate.
Just when optimism seemed to rise for Benfica fans, the fortunes changed yet again. A costly blunder from Trubin allowed Monaco’s new substitute to pull the score back to 3-3, leaving everything to play for once more. The aggregate score was once again level at 3-3.
Despite the back-and-forth, the match’s drama was far from over. Just after Monaco’s goal, Benfica sprang back with renewed vigor and quickly found themselves back on the scoreboard when Ömer Teyfik Koc responded with sheer determination to score. The 3-3 equalizer felt moments away as fans braced for the game's final whistle.
The nail-biting finish saw Benfica narrowly escape extra time, maintaining their aggregate lead to advance on away goals. Player statistics reflected the emotional strain of the game: Trubin, once the star defender, now had ratings of 4.5 from WhoScored and 5.3 from Sofascore, marking him as the poorest performer on the pitch. The harsh evaluations came from uncharacteristic moments paired with overall strong individual contributions from his teammates.
With the final whistle blowing, Benfica’s chances of moving forward appeared to hinge on moments marked by both brilliance and blunders. The enthusiasm of victory was undercut by the awareness of the challenges to come—moving through Europe’s elite leagues will demand consistency and sharper performance from every player, particularly from their goalkeeper. The draw with Monaco encapsulated the rollercoaster of emotions and bravery necessary for triumph at this stage, perhaps hinting at the levels of challenge awaiting Benfica as they march forward.