Real Madrid edge Benfica to reach Champions League last 16

Real Madrid CF secured their place in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 after a tense 2-1 victory over S.L. Benfica at the Santiago Bernabéu, sealing a 3-1 aggregate triumph.

The result marked Los Blancos’ seventh consecutive home win in the competition and extended their remarkable consistency in Europe’s elite tournament.

The fixture came against the backdrop of controversy following the first leg, where an unsavoury incident involving Vinícius Júnior and Gianluca Prestianni cast a shadow over proceedings. On the pitch, however, the focus shifted quickly to the intensity of the contest.

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Benfica made a blistering start and drew level on aggregate inside 14 minutes. Rafa Silva capitalised after Raúl Asencio’s sliding interception inadvertently created danger. Although Thibaut Courtois initially produced a fine save, Silva reacted quickest to convert the rebound and stun the home crowd.

Madrid responded with urgency. Aurélien Tchouaméni restored parity on the night with a superb first-time finish, meeting Federico Valverde’s cross with precision and composure.

Moments later, Arda Güler believed he had completed the turnaround, only for VAR to rule his close-range effort marginally offside.

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The match unfolded at a relentless tempo. Courtois was once again called into action, producing an outstanding save to deny Richard Ríos as Benfica continued to threaten. At the other end, Madrid’s attacking transitions carried danger but lacked clinical sharpness in key moments.

After the interval, the end-to-end pattern persisted. Trent Alexander-Arnold drove forward and narrowly missed the far post, while Silva saw a deflected attempt clip the crossbar.

Benfica sensed vulnerability, and Vangelis Pavlidis came agonisingly close as his strike deflected inches wide.

The contest was briefly halted when Asencio was stretchered off following a heavy collision with Eduardo Camavinga, momentarily shifting focus away from the football.

Madrid, however, found the decisive breakthrough through individual brilliance. Vinícius Júnior latched onto another incisive Valverde pass, opened his body, and delivered a composed right-footed finish beyond Anatoliy Trubin.

It was a moment of elite quality in an otherwise scrappy affair and ultimately proved decisive.

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Benfica continued to press, with Silva nearly turning home Andreas Schjelderup’s cross at the far post before Álvaro Carreras intervened. Yet Madrid’s defensive resilience held firm in the closing stages.

The victory ensures Real Madrid’s progression to the knockout stages for every season since 1996/97, underlining their enduring European pedigree.

For Benfica and head coach José Mourinho, elimination extends a difficult run in Champions League knockout ties, with the Portuguese side again unable to overturn a first-leg deficit.

Madrid march on — not at their fluent best, but clinical when it mattered most.