It's been a meteoric rise in 2022 for Enzo Fernandez, who was still playing for boyhood club River Plate this time last year. He's now lifted the most prestigious trophy going, having made himself indispensable to Argentina's midfield.

The 21-year-old only just moved to Benfica in the summer, having played a vital role in River Plate's Argentine Primera Division last term. He joined the Portuguese giants for just €18million and immediately looks one of their star assets – it's less than six months later and Fernandez is now being valued at more than five times that.

"Enzo Fernandez, I like this guy. 21 years old – he's done nothing but enhance his reputation. There will be clubs sniffing around him. Top, top clubs," said former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, speaking as a pundit on the BBC during the World Cup final.

"He was so composed, for a kid so young at this level. Tactically very good as well."

"He showed his personality, class on the ball. I think maybe next summer, he will go to a better league," added ex-Argentina international Pablo Zabaleta.

Here are nine stats that underline Enzo Fernandez and his classy gameplay.

1. Fernandez has completed 1226 passes in the Primeira Liga this season. That's more than minutes played. He averages 107 passes per 90 minutes in the league.

2. That's 252 (20%) more than any other player in the Portuguese top flight. It's also more than any player in Europe's big five leagues.

3. The 21-year-old ranks top for passes into the final third (142) in the Primeira Liga. Real Madrid's Toni Kroos is the only player in Europe's big five leagues to have registered more (159). Fernandez also ranks top in Portugal for progressive passes (110), while only his Argentina team-mate Lionel Messi (133) and Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich (125) have notched more in Europe's five big leagues.

4. True to form, he also completed the most passes (77) of any player in the World Cup final. He also registered the most touches (118) of any player on the pitch.

5. He made more tackles than any other player on the pitch in the World Cup final (10). That's the most of any player in any World Cup final since Italian warhorse Gennaro Gattuso in 2006.

6. In the group stage match against Poland, Fernandez became the youngest player to start a World Cup match for Argentina since Lionel Messi in 2006 (via @OptaJoe). He was also the youngest Argentinian to score at a World Cup match since Messi, having been assisted by the legendary No.10 for his memorable strike against Mexico.

7. The midfielder only made his Argentina debut in September. The World Cup final was just his 10th international appearance.

8. By winning the Young Player award, Fernandez has followed in the footsteps of Kylian Mbappe (2018), Paul Pogba (2014) and Thomas Muller (2010).

9. According to his FBref scouting report, Fernandez ranks in the 97th percentile for non-penalty xG, the 96th percentile for shots, the 96th percentile for xAG (expected assists), the 99th percentile for passes attempted and progressive passes – when compared to other midfielders over the past 365 days.

Laliga clubs regularly own some of the biggest names in the world of football. Many of their top stars have come from abroad, often moving from the Premier League to La Liga. However, some superstars were not so successful in Laliga after the transfers. 
Trent Alexander Arnold is more likely to be the next biggest football transfer from the Premier League to Laliga. 
Discover the 10 biggest football transfers from the Premier League to Laliga, featuring players like Eden Hazard, and Phillipe Coutinho and legends like Luis Suarez and Cristiano Ronaldo.

10 biggest football transfers from Premier League to La Liga:  

10. Conor Gallagher | Chelsea to Atletico Madrid | €35 million:

Conor Gallagher was one of the key players for Chelsea in his final season. He is a Chelsea academy player, despite being an academy graduate of Chelsea, the Blues sold him to the Laliga side Atletico Madrid for €35 million and became one of the players with the biggest football transfers from the Premier League to La Liga.

He has seemed a perfect fit for Diego Simeone’s managed side, though he has rotated with other midfielders. Gallagher scored an important Champions League goal against Real Madrid, during a round of 16 match in which Atletico was heartbreakingly beaten on penalties.

9. Ferran Torres | Manchester City to FC Barcelona | €46 million:

FC Barcelona paid €46 million to Ferran Torres from Manchester City in 2022. But he was never able to prove his worth in FC Barcelona, he was one of the failed yet one the biggest transfers from the Premier League to Laliga.

The winger had never scored more than 10 goals in a single campaign for the La Liga giants. Torres played 145 games at Barcelona and has started almost exactly half (73), which shows the coaches he has played under have been aware that he cannot impact games.

8. Raphinha | Leeds United to FC Barcelona | €50 million:

Raphinha was not a major signing for FC Barcelona, yet among the biggest football transfers from the Premier League to La Liga. In the first season, Raphinha scored 14 goals and contributed in 15 goals. However, in the 2024/25 season, Raphinha found his lost form under Hansi Flick as he scored 27 goals and delivered 20 assists. Now the Brazilian winger is one of the players who is getting Ballon d'Or shouts in 2025.

7. Diego Costa | Chelsea to Atletico Madrid | €57 million:

Costa played for Atletico Madrid on a few different occasions. He had already left once before coming back in 2010 by the time he moved to Chelsea in 2014, and four years later, he was back, with Atletico Madrid paying €57 million for him.

Diego Costa was one of the players also among the biggest football transfers from the Premier League to La Liga. In his final season before leaving for the Premier League, Costa scored 36 goals, and in three seasons at Stamford Bridge, he scored 59 goals and 21 assists. The Spanish forward 81 games in four seasons after his return but scored just 19 goals in that time.

6. Luis Suarez | Liverpool to FC Barcelona | €75 million:

Barcelona had seen enough from Suarez in just two and a half seasons at Liverpool to sign him for an initially reported fee of £75million. That he’d move onto bigger things was unsurprising after notching 31 goals and 13 assists in his final season in the Premier League.

Luis Suarez was one of the key players also among the biggest football transfers from the Premier League to La Liga. The Uruguayan forward scored 195 goals and assisted 113 in 283 games, in his second season at Barca, scoring a remarkable 40 La Liga goals, along with 18 assists. Across all competitions that season, Suarez scored 54 goals and assisted 24.

5. Julian Alvarez | Manchester City to Atletico Madrid | €80 million:

One of the most recent players to the biggest football transfers from the Premier League to La Liga, Julian Alvarez moved to Manchester City for Atletico Madrid in the summer transfer window of the 2024 season. He already has 23 goals and five assists this season, including eight direct goal contributions in the Champions League. So far, the move looks a positive one for Alvarez.

4. Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United to Real Madrid | €80 million:

Cristiano Ronaldo was undoubtedly the best move from the Premier League to La Liga in history. He broke new ground with a transfer worth approximately £80million from Manchester United. The previous world-record transfer was Zinedine Zidane to Real Madrid, which had stood for eight years.

Ronaldo was one of the most devastating forwards in the world for his entire spell at Real Madrid, scoring 450 goals and assisting 131 in 438 games. Ronaldo is the most successful and among the biggest football transfers from the Premier League to La Liga. He won the Ballon d’Or in 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017 while he was a Real Madrid player.

3. Gareth Bale | Tottenham Hotspurs to Real Madrid | €85 million:

At the time of his transfer to Real Madrid for approximately £85million, Bale’s was a world-record move. Gareth Bale was among the biggest football transfers from the Premier League to La Liga.  

Bale would win five Champions Leagues with Real, as well as three La Liga titles, among many other honors. Throughout seven seasons, he scored 106 goals and assisted 67 times.

2. Eden Hazard | Chelsea to Real Madrid | €130 million:

Eden Hazard was one of the failed transfers yet and second-placed in the list of the biggest football transfers from the Premier League to La Liga. That he never played 20 La Liga games in a single season, showed how much Hazard struggled, and he retired at just 32 years of age, having played just 10 games in his final season. The Belgian failed to match that single-season total in 76 games across his entire Real Madrid career.

1. Phillipe Coutinho | Liverpool to FC Barcelona | €142 million:

The biggest football transfer from the Premier League to La Liga, Barcelona spent an astonishing £142million to sign the midfielder from Liverpool. At Liverpool, he had become an iconic figure, having a direct hand in 97 goals in 201 games.

 After 13 direct goal contributions in his first 18 La Liga games, Coutinho slowed with only seven contributions in the 32 games he played in the season. The Brazilian left for Aston Villa, after only 39 goal contributions in 106 games at Barcelona.

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Liverpool FC is reportedly on the verge of arranging Darwin Nunez's departure from Anfield this summer if the Saudi Arabian revives its interest in the striker.

The Uruguayan striker had moved to the Reds from Portuguese giants Benfica in a deal worth up to £85 million back in the summer transfer window of 2022.

With a struggling season continuing for him at the Merseyside club, Nunez is believed to be out of new coach Arne Slot's plans and will look to rejuvenate his career in the Gulf.

Nunez may leave Liverpool in the upcoming transfer window

Nunez's Liverpool career has been affected by difficulties, as he has found it hard to establish himself in the club throughout his early years.

In his three years at the Merseyside club, he has scored 40 goals in 136 games across all competitions, but this season has been the most disappointing so far for the 25-year-old, as he has scored just seven times across all competitions.

With the direction of new head coach Arne Slot, Nunez has found himself out of favor, another contributing factor to speculation about his future. 

🗞️ Liverpool are reportedly expecting major transfer offers from clubs in the Saudi Pro League for Darwin Nunez this summer.

(Source: @caughtoffside) pic.twitter.com/Zo5DqYSj6m

— Anything Liverpool (@AnythingLFC_) March 28, 2025

Renowned Football Transfer journalist Duncan Castles broke the news on the latest episode of 'The Transfers Podcast' that Liverpool would accept a big Saudi Arabian offer and would be willing to urge Nunez to leave if they come back for him. Castles stated:

Liverpool would be happy if the Saudis came in and would encourage a move for Nunez. They would like to get some kind of significant return on the initial €75 million that they paid Benfica three years ago.

“From the Saudi perspective, [Nunez] still has that ability to be a name within the Saudi game and to deliver goals with his physicality. Interestingly, I’m told that his girlfriend, Lorena Manas, who is the ex-wife of former Barcelona player Aleix Vidal, has been working with agents to explore opportunities elsewhere.

“So it looks like this is both sides pushing against the same door with Nunez, or at least Nunez’s partner, encouraging him to look for a move and Liverpool happy to sell the player with a strong, affluent potential buyer in Saudi Arabia.

Interestingly, it had been hinted that Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr had made a substantial annual deal of €35 million towards Nunez back in January, having already made an offer of £58 million for the forward.

According to reports, Nunez's girlfriend, Lorena Manas, has also been working closely with agents to look into possible transfers in mutual consent, implying a joint pressure for a potential move.

Carabao Cup, formerly known as the EFL Cup, is a 92-team knock-out tournament organised by the English Football League (EFL). Teams from Premier League, and three divisions of the English Football League compete in this tournament.

Although the prize value of the EFL Cup is not that significant compared to tournaments like FA Cup and other, EFL Cup has had it's reputation among football fans since 1961. Here are all the previous winners of the Carabao Cup since the beginning.

Who were the first-ever winners of the Carabao Cup?

Aston Villa were the first-ever champions of the Carabao Cup or the EFL Cup in 1961. They defeated Rotherham United by a 3-2 aggregate after a two-leged final after being down by 0-2 in the first leg. Alan O'Neill, Harry Burrows and Peter McParland were the scorers for Aston Villa.

For the first six seasons, the EFL Cup finals were played in two legs.

Who are the current winners of the Carabao Cup?

Newcastle United defeated defending champions Liverpool FC at Wembley Stadium to win their maiden EFL Cup or Carabao Cup title. They defeated Liverpool by 2-1 to clinch their first-ever domestic title since 1955 FA Cup triumph.

Alexander Isak and Dan Burn scored the goals for them.

𝐂.𝐇.𝐀.𝐌.𝐏.𝐈.𝐎.𝐍.𝐒 🏆

Newcastle United lift a domestic title for the first time in 70 years!

They beat Liverpool FC to clinch the Carabao Cup 2024-25!

Congrats, Newcastle United!#NewcastleUnited #CarabaoCupFinal #CarabaoCup #LiverpoolFC pic.twitter.com/RUfDu2zNhj

— Sportz Point (@sportz_point) March 16, 2025

Also Read: Most Goals in the Premier League for a single club

Which is the most successful team in Carabao Cup history?

Liverpool with 10 EFL trophies, are the most successful team in Carabao Cup history. They won the trophy in 1980-81, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1994-95, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2011-12, 2021-22, and 2023-24 seasons.

Most successful teams in Carabao Cup/ EFL Cup history

Most Carabao Cup wins as a player

Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho are the most successful players with three Carabao Cup titles in 2014, 2016, 2018-2021 with Manchester City.

All the past winners of the Carabao Cup/ EFL Cup since 1961

The UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Round of 16 Second Leg has ended, concluding the round with eight teams that have earned their qualification into the Champions League Quarter Finals this season.

Read Also | UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Quarterfinals schedule: Everything you need to know

Paris Saint-Germain stunned Liverpool in the second leg, managing a 1-0 win in the regulation time before knocking the league phase leaders out of the competition following a 4-1 win on penalties.

Barcelona dominated over Benfica, earning a 3-1 victory at home to secure the quarter-final place with a 4-1 aggregate. Bayern Munich also clinched a 2-0 win against Bayer Leverkusen, advancing to the quarters with a 5-0 cushion across two legs.

Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid fought till the last minute as Atletico managed a 1-0 win to equalize the tie, but Los Blancos secured a 4-2 victory on penalties to advance to the quarters.

Read Also | UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Round of 16 First Leg Round Up

UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Round of 16 Second Leg Round Up

FC Barcelona 3-1 Benfica (4-1 Agg)

Raphinha and Lamine Yamal led from the front to help FC Barcelona win 3-1 against Benfica in the return leg, accumulating a 4-1 aggregate to progress through to the quarter-finals.

Raphinha opened the scoring in the 11th minute, as Otamendi equalized just two minutes later. However, a world-class strike from Lamine Yamal and Raphinha's second goal produced a dominant win for Blaugranas, despite a goalless second half.

Barcelona will take on Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals.

Read Also | Barcelona vs Benfica UEFA Champions League 2024-25 RO16 Second Leg Highlights: Barcelona through to quarter-finals with an easy 4-1 win on aggregate

Inter Milan 2-1 Feyenoord (4-1 Agg)

Inter Milan stamped a well-deserved 2-1 victory over Feyenoord at the San Siro, winning the tie on a 4-1 aggregate to advance to the quarter-finals.

Marcus Thuram netted an early goal in the eighth minute, that was canceled out by Jakub Moder, who equalized from the spot in the 42nd minute. However, Hakan Çalhanoğlu fired the winner with a boastful penalty in the 51st minute.

Inter Milan will go against Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.

Liverpool 0-1 Paris Saint-Germain (1-1 Agg, 1-4 pens)

Arguably, this tie has produced the most gripping and absorbing footballing actions across two legs in the RO16 this season. After a fighting 1-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain at Parc de Princes, Liverpool crashed out of the UCL 2024-25 following a 1-4 defeat on penalties.

Ousmane Dembele drew the first blood early in the 12th minute, but almost 110 minutes of football afterwards failed to decide a winner, ending the tie on a 1-1 aggregate.

However, Gianluigi Donnarumma became a wall between PSG's sticks in the penalties, saving two penalties of Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones to hand PSG the advantage in a nail-biting shootout. Desire Doue netted the winning penalty for PSG, taking them to the quarters. 

Les Parisiens will meet Aston Villa in the quarter-finals.

Read Also | Liverpool vs Paris Saint-Germain Highlights UEFA Champions League 2024-25 RO16 Second Leg | PSG advances, Liverpool crash out after losing on penalties | FT LIV 0-1 PSG (1-1 AGG, 1-4 pens)

Bayer Leverkusen 0-2 Bayern Munich (0-5 Agg)

Bayern Munich had another composed victory over Bayer Leverkusen, beating them 2-0 to progress through the next stage with a commendable 5-0 aggregate.

Harry Kane and Alphonso Davies scored in the 52nd and the 71st minute respectively, leading the German side to the UCL 2024-25 quarter-finals.

Read Also | Bayer Leverkusen vs Bayern Munich Highlights UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Round of 16 2nd Leg: Bayern secures their spot in the quarter-finals | LEV 0-2 BAY (Agg. BAY 5-0 LEV)

Lille OSC 1-2 Borussia Dortmund (2-3 Agg)

Borussia Dortmund pulled off a sensational comeback against Lille OSC in the second leg, winning 2-1 against the French side to qualify for the quarters with a 3-2 aggregate.

Jonathan David opened the account for Lille only 5 minutes into the game, as the first half ended with Lille leading 2-1 in the tie. However, Emre Can converted the spotkick in the 54th minute to equalize the game, as Maxilmilian Beier netted a sublime curler in the 65th minute to hand Dortmund a comeback victory.

Dortmund will lock horns against FC Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

Read Also | Lille OSC vs Borussia Dortmund Highlights UEFA Champions League 2024-25 RO16 Second Leg | Dortmund wins a thrilling contest with a second-half comeback; advances to the quarters | FT LIL 1-2 BVB (AGG 2-3)

Aston Villa 3-0 Club Brugge (6-1 Agg)

Aston Villa earned a comfortable 3-0 victory over ten-men Club Brugge in the second leg to enter the quarters with a 6-1 score on aggregate.

After a goalless first half, Marco Asensio scored a brace in the 50th and 61st minute respectively, accompanied by Ian Maatsen who found the back of the net in the 57th minute. 

Aston Villa will face Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals.

Read Also | Aston Villa vs Club Brugge UEFA Champions League 2024-25 RO16 Second Leg Highlights: Villa to face PSG in quarters after a 3-0 win (6-1 agg)

Arsenal 2-2 PSV Eindhoven (9-3 Agg)

After producing a 7-1 crushing in the first leg, Arsenal shared the spoils in a 2-2 stalemate with PSV in the return leg. Despite the draw, Arsenal are through to the quarters with a massive 9-3 win on aggregate.

Oleksandr Zinchenko scored early in the sixth minute of the game. However, Ivan Perisic equalized in the 18th minute for the visiting side. Declan Rice netted a banger in the 37th minute, but PSV pulled off another equalizing goal in the 70th minute as Couhaib Driouech scored in his first UCL start.

The game ended in a 2-2 draw, as Arsenal progressed onto the quarters, where they will go against the defending champions Real Madrid.

Atletico Madrid 1-0 Real Madrid (2-2 Agg, 2-4 pens)

The Madrid Derby in the return leg gifted another spectacular game of football. Atletico madrid levelled the tie with a 1-0 win after 120 minutes, but Real Madrid emerged victorious on penalties, winning 4-2 to march onto the quarters.

Atletico midfielder Connor Gallagher scored only 30 seconds after the kickoff, but both teams failed to find the net in the remaining minutes, leading the tie to a 2-2 aggregate.

However, Julian Alvarez's spotkick in the shootout was canceled for an apparent double touch. Atletico fell behind, but Real Madrid's fourth penalty, taken by Lucas Vanquez, was denied by Jan Oblak.

Following that, Marcos Llorente had a chance to pull Atletico back in the game, but he hit the woodwork under pressure. Antonio Rugider netted the winning penalty for Real Madrid. Los Blancos will face Arsneal in the quarters.

Read Also | Atletico Madrid vs Real Madrid CF Highlights UEFA Champions League RO16 Second Leg: Real Madrid secures their spot in the quarterfinals after defeating Atletico on the penalties | ATM 1(2)-(4)0 RMA (AGG. RMA 2-2 ATM)

Hello and welcome everyone to our LIVE coverage. Tonight, we have the second leg of the round of 16 fixtures in UEFA Champions League 2024-25. 

This is Koushik Biswas, who will bring you all the Barcelona vs Benfica UEFA Champions League 2024-25 RO16 Second Leg LIVE updates, scores and news from the web desk. 

Barcelona are leading by 1-0 after the first leg in Lisbon and a draw would ensure them a place in the final eight. Meantime, Benfica would have to win by more than 1 goal to stay in the competition. 

Barcelona will be without young central defender Pau Cubarsi, who was shown a direct red card in the match. 

Read the full Barcelona vs Benfica match preview here.