Through the Lens: Benfica vs Real Madrid in the Champions League
Over the last month, since returning from AFCON, I’ve made two trips to Lisbon to cover a pair of UEFA Champions League clashes between Benfica and Real Madrid. Two matches, same stadium, same elite level of football — yet completely different stories to tell through the lens.
Anatoliy Trubin celebrates scoring with all Benfica squad going wild
The first game, in January, was the final match of the league phase. It turned into one of those European nights that remind you why the Champions League is so special. The tension built minute by minute, with both teams knowing what was at stake. Then came the moment nobody expected: in the dying seconds, Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin went forward and scored a dramatic late goal that sent the stadium into absolute chaos and secured progression to the next round. From a photographer’s point of view, it was pure adrenaline. You’re already positioned for a potential final attack, but when a goalkeeper scores in stoppage time, the script is completely flipped. Instantly, you switch from documenting play to capturing raw emotion — players sprinting, fans erupting, staff celebrating on the sidelines. Those are the moments you live for.
This week’s match had a very different rhythm. Real Madrid controlled long stretches of the game and eventually won 1–0 thanks to a brilliant individual goal from Vinícius Júnior.
Vini Jr lets the referee know what he thinks
However, much of the attention after the final whistle shifted to an incident involving Vinícius Júnior and Gianluca Prestianni. Situations like that add another layer to the job. As photographers, we are not there to judge — we are there to document. When emotions flare, positioning becomes critical. You need awareness not only of the ball, but of body language, reactions, and what might unfold seconds later. Often, the images that define a match are not just the goals, but the confrontations, the celebrations, or the quiet, telling expressions afterward.
Of course, you can read detailed match reports anywhere. My focus in this blog is the photographer’s perspective and my experience covering both games for DeFodi Images.
As sports photographers, we all have different approaches and workflows, often depending on who we work for. There’s no single “right” way — but the shared objective is always to produce the strongest images possible. Knowing my camera gear inside out, understanding my settings in changing light conditions, and anticipating key moments are fundamental parts of my job.
Working for an agency like DeFodi adds another dimension. My images are distributed to other agencies and made available to clients worldwide, including Getty Images. That means great photos alone are not enough. Speed and precision are just as important. If I don’t apply accurate metadata, detailed captions, and transmit the images in real time, those decisive moments might never be seen.
During high-profile matches like Benfica vs Real Madrid, dozens of photographers are competing to deliver the same key scenes. The difference often comes down to workflow. I still spend most of the match fully focused on shooting, but every short pause — an injury break, a VAR check, a slower spell of possession — becomes an opportunity to ingest, select, caption, and transmit images. Immediately after goals or major incidents, that workflow becomes critical. The faster and more accurately the images are delivered, the greater the chance they’ll be picked up by clients worldwide.
Covering these two matches reminded me how unpredictable football can be. One night ends with a goalkeeper becoming the hero. The next is decided by a moment of individual brilliance and a flashpoint of emotion. From the stands, fans experience the drama. From behind the camera, we chase it — frame by frame, second by second — knowing that the decisive image might come when you least expect it.