Having earned a slender one-goal advantage from the first leg in Lisbon despite playing with 10 men for over an hour, Barca looked good value to complete the job on home soil.
Hansi Flick’s side - well rested for the clash, after their weekend game against Osasuna was called off following the unfortunate death of the first team doctor - doubled their aggregate lead inside 11 minutes, as Lamine Yamal’s brilliant run and cross was converted by Raphinha at the back post.
Undeterred by that early setback, Benfica found an immediate response just two minutes later, with Nicolas Otamendi heading home from close range after an inviting corner by Andreas Schjelderup, duly becoming the third-oldest scorer in the Champions League knockouts.
It didn’t take long for the hosts to reassert their dominance, however, as Robert Lewandowski and Yamal came close to restoring the Blaugrana’s lead in quick succession.
Not to be denied, the influential Yamal made Barca’s pressure count in the 27th minute, curling a sublime strike into the far corner from 20 yards for his 12th goal of the season.
In turn, he became the youngest player ever to score a goal and assist in a single Champions League match.
Armed with all the momentum, Flick’s men looked to put the tie beyond doubt before half-time, and Raphinha duly added his second of the evening, clinically firing into the bottom corner after a marauding run from Alejandro Balde.
The hosts understandably took their foot off the gas at the start of the second half but should have further extended their advantage shortly after the hour mark when Frenkie de Jong poked wide from six yards on the stretch.
Though the tie had realistically been over for a while, Benfica refused to go down without a fight and nearly pulled a goal back as Zeki Amdouni’s goalbound header was blocked on the line by Jules Kounde.
That was ultimately as close as either side came to altering the scoreline in the closing stages as Barca eased through to full-time, even after resting several of their key players ahead of a crucial LaLiga clash against title rivals Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
As for Benfica, they’ll be keen to bounce back on the domestic front after their dismal record against Spanish opposition extended to just three wins from their last 25 matches (D8, L14).
Flashscore Man of the Match: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
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