Real Madrid have advanced into the round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League following a 3-1 aggregate victory over Benfica.
The 15-time UCL champions defeated their Portuguese opponents at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night thanks to Vinicius’ winner to progress.
The second leg build-up was dominated by the alleged racist abuse suffered by Vinicius and a hostile Benfica contingent, and the visitors looked more fired up than their hosts.
They deservedly took the lead on 14 minutes through Rafa Silva, who dispatched at point-blank range after Thibaut Courtois prevented a Raul Asencio own goal.
The lead only lasted two minutes, with Aurelien Tchouameni curling into the far corner from Arda Guler’s cutback, levelling the match 1-1 with his first-ever UCL goal for Real Madrid.
Vinicius, at the centre of the storm, sealed Real’s passage with the winner on 80 minutes, latching on to Federico Valverde’s pass before producing an expert finish low into the far corner to the delight of the Bernabeu crowd, and Real continue their record of making the UCL knockout stage since the 1995/96 season.
Paris Saint-Germain also made the last-16 despite a 2-2 draw with Monaco in Paris; the reigning UCL champions advance 5-4 on aggregate.
There was also plenty of drama in Italy, where Atalanta overcame a two-goal deficit with a 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund and advanced into the last 16.
RESULTS
Real Madrid 2-1 Benfica (Real Madrid advance 3-1 on aggregate)
Atalanta 4-1 Borussia Dortmund (Atalanta advance 4-3 on aggregate)
Paris Saint-Germain 2-2 AS Monaco (PSG advance 5-4 on aggregate
