‘May have been my best match’… Young Barcelona defender reacts after Barcelona 3-1 Benfica | OneFootball

FC Barcelona paved their way to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 last night after getting a 3-1 victory in the second leg of the Round of 16 tie against SL Benfica. The Blaugranes had already won the first leg 1-0 and thus won this tie 4-1 on aggregate.

The fullback Alejandro Balde was one of the players in the blue and garnet jersey that stood out for his team, as his attacking runs allowed the Catalans to deal a lot of damage to the visitors. He got an assist to his name in this match, for the third goal scored by Raphinha.

As Mundo Deportivo has reported, the defender also talked to the media after the game, and expressed his belief that he was going through his best run of form:

“It’s possible that I’m going through my best moment, and today may have been my best match.”

The fullback recalled his contribution that led to the third goal for his team on the night:

“I saw that I had space. I’m fast, and I took advantage of it to finish the play and help us score. I wish I could keep running like that for the full 90 minutes.”

Balde also expressed his belief that Barcelona can win the big titles this season:

“We are a reality in Europe. Hopefully, Barça can win all the titles. We are still alive in all competitions, and our season is incredible.”

The defender highlighted the role of Hansi Flick in bringing about an important change in the team:

“When we win like this, our confidence grows. With the coach, we have changed our mentality.”

When asked which one of Pedri, Raphinha, or Yamal should win the Ballon d’Or, the fullback did not give a clear opinion:

“Let them give it to whoever, but let it be a Barça player.”

Balde dedicated this important win to the recently deceased Dr. Minarro:

“We wanted to dedicate the victory to him, to win for him.”

This was definitely an excellent play from Balde that led to the third goal for Barcelona and also showcased the good run of form that the defender is going through. Hopefully, he will be able to build on these performances in the coming matches as well, and help his team win important titles.