UCL: Real Madrid Edge Benfica 2–1 To Reach Round Of 16

European heavyweights Real Madrid secured their place in the Round of 16 after a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Benfica at the Santiago Bernabéu, sealing a 3–1 aggregate triumph.

Benfica stunned the home crowd early when Rafa Silva broke the deadlock in the 14th minute, finishing clinically to hand the Portuguese side a glimmer of hope. However, Madrid’s response was immediate and emphatic. Just two minutes later, Aurélien Tchouaméni rose to the occasion with a composed equaliser in the 16th minute, restoring parity on the night and strengthening Los Blancos’ aggregate advantage.

The hosts thought they had taken the lead in the 32nd minute when Arda Güler found the back of the net, but celebrations were cut short after a VAR review ruled the effort offside.

Madrid continued to press in the second half, showing their trademark patience and control.

Their persistence paid off in the 80th minute when Vinícius Júnior delivered the decisive blow, calmly slotting home to make it 2–1 on the night and 3–1 on aggregate, extinguishing Benfica’s hopes of a comeback.

In France, Paris Saint-Germain were held to a 2–2 draw by Monaco in an entertaining encounter. Despite the stalemate, PSG progressed to the next round courtesy of their aggregate advantage, demonstrating resilience over the two legs to book their place in the Round of 16.

Both Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain now turn their attention to the next stage as Europe’s elite competition intensifies.