Nine goals, insults, rows and VAR chaos – this was maddest ever Champions League game

Barcelona came from 4-2 down to win 5-4 in an astonishing Champions League encounter on Tuesday that ended with Benfica manager Bruno Lage’s furious dressing down of his players on the pitch.

Raphinha, who scored twice in the match, said Benfica insults also led to a confrontation in the tunnel afterwards.

“I’m someone who respects everyone,” Raphinha, who previously played for Benfica’s rivals Sporting Lisbon, told reporters after the game. “When I was leaving the pitch, people were insulting me. I returned the insults. I know I shouldn’t. It got heated with the Benfica players – they preferred to insult me.

“I’m someone who doesn’t let anything lie. I respect them if they respect me, but I don’t shut up if they insult me. It’s normal after an ending like that to a match.”

Vangelis Pavlidis’s hat-trick had given the hosts a 3-1 lead at half-time and they were 4-2 up with 12 minutes to play. But Hansi Flick’s side pulled off a sensational victory, sealed by Raphinha with a finish on the break, seconds after Benfica had appealed in vain for a late penalty.

Telegraph Sport recaps a crazy match in Portugal.

Szczesny goes walkabout

Greece striker Pavlidis tapped in to open the scoring on two minutes for the home side before Robert Lewandowski equalised from the spot after the video assistant referee ruled that Tomas Araujo had fouled Alejandro Balde in the 11th minute. Pavlidis restored Benfica’s lead, profiting from a poor decision to leave his area by goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who left the forward with an open goal after clearing out his own defender.

More goalkeeping calamity

Pavlidis scored his third goal with a penalty after Szczesny continued his difficult night with a clumsy foul on Kerem Akturkoglu at the half-hour mark. It was 3-1 at half-time and Barcelona had a mountain to climb.

Raphinha’s bizarre luck for opening goal

A blunder by Anatoliy Trubin let Barcelona back into the game in the 64th minute. The Benfica goalkeeper’s clearance ricocheted off Raphinha’s head before looping into the net from 25 yards out.

Own goal surely means no way back?

Barcelona’s calamitous night continued, though. Just when Barça thought they were back in the game, Benfica restored their two-goal lead when Ronald Araujo put the ball into his own net.

Incredible night complete

Lewandowski made it 4-3 from the spot, before Eric García, the Barcelona substitute, equalised with a towering header from a fine Pedri cross three minutes from time. Benfica pushed for a winner and after a melee in the box, their players screamed for a penalty. But a long ball downfield found Raphinha, who won it six minutes into added time, resulting in wild scenes of jubilation.

Lage unleashes fury on his players

The Benfica manager channelled his inner Phil Brown to deliver a dressing down to his players on the pitch after seeing them blow a 3-1 and 4-2 lead. Benfica’s shell-shocked players looked on in disbelief as the former Wolves manager vented his fury after a remarkable match.