Vinicius Junior provided the definitive response to a week of controversy, scoring the winner as Real Madrid beat Benfica 2-1 to progress 3-1 on aggregate. The Brazilian forward, who was at the center of an alleged racism row during the first leg in Lisbon, effectively ended the contest in the 80th minute to send the record 15-time champions into the last 16.
Despite the shadow cast by the fallout from the first leg, Madrid demonstrated their typical European pedigree at the Santiago Bernabeu. Jose Mourinho’s side initially stunned the hosts when Rafa Silva bundled home from close range after just 14 minutes, briefly threatening an upset against the Portuguese coach’s former employers.
However, Aurelien Tchouameni swiftly leveled the scoring with a clinical finish from the edge of the box following a trademark Fede Valverde cross. “To be honest, we didn’t start the game very well but we kept our confidence,” Tchouameni remarked, praising the squad’s mental fortitude during a high-stakes encounter.
Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa hailed Vinicius for “unbalancing” the opposition and creating danger every time he took on the defense. While UEFA continues to investigate the incidents from the first leg, Madrid’s number seven chose to do his talking on the pitch, ensuring the headlines remained focused on his match-winning quality.