Real Madrid Vs Benfica — real madrid vs benfica ends 2-1 as Vinicius Jnr sends Madrid through
Real Madrid advanced to the Champions League last 16 with a 2-1 win over Benfica at the Santiago Bernabeu, completing a 3-1 aggregate victory in a tie overshadowed by an alleged racial abuse incident. The real madrid vs benfica tie saw Aurelien Tchouameni score an early equaliser and Vinicius Jnr net the decisive 80th-minute strike.
Match sequence and key moments
Benfica took the lead after 14 minutes through Rafa Silva, but Aurelien Tchouameni restored parity with a powerful first-half strike from distance. Vinicius Jnr sealed the tie by scampering through on goal and scoring with 10 minutes remaining, celebrating with a dance by the corner flag. The night finished 2-1 in Madrid and 3-1 on aggregate.
First-leg stoppage and allegations
Eight days earlier in Lisbon, Vinicius had scored the only goal of the first leg five minutes into the second half with a curled finish from a tight angle. After celebrating near the corner flag he became visibly upset about something said to him, informed the referee and left the field, refusing to return and prompting a stoppage that lasted around 10 minutes. The interruption followed an allegedly racist comment made to Vinicius by Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni, which Prestianni has denied.
Disciplinary action and UEFA statements
UEFA appointed an ethics and disciplinary investigator after the first leg and imposed a provisional suspension on Prestianni on Monday, ruling him out of the return fixture despite the Argentinian winger having travelled to Madrid as part of the Benfica squad. Benfica appealed the decision, but UEFA dismissed the Portuguese club's case on Wednesday afternoon. A UEFA statement read: "Mr Gianluca Prestianni remains provisionally suspended for the next UEFA club competition match for which he would otherwise be eligible. " UEFA also said the imposition of a provisional suspension was "without prejudice to any ruling that the UEFA disciplinary bodies may subsequently make following the conclusion of the ongoing investigation and its respective submission to the UEFA disciplinary bodies. " Prestianni was subsequently handed a one-match ban and missed Wednesday's return leg.
Reactions from team and players
Midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni called the result "a victory for everyone who stands against racism, " adding: "I think there are more important things than this match, than football. " He said Vinicius "keeps his confidence and he keeps focused on what he needs to do" and that "they made the right decision by not letting the boy [Prestianni] play this match. " Tchouameni concluded: "Like I said, there are things more important than football and this is a victory for all of us. "
England defender Trent Alexander-Arnold said Vinicius had been his usual self before the fixture, "very chilled" and "very relaxed, " and that "he didn't need to score to send a message or show his mentality. He doesn't need to prove anything to anyone because he's shown time and time again how good he is. He steps up when we need him the most. He knows his quality and what he brings to the team. " Former Chelsea forward Joe Cole said: "He was brilliant over both legs, " and "His finish was superb. " Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa said: "[I reacted] with joy obviously, for the great goal he scored, and because it was him, he deserves it. " Vinicius posted on social media after the match that "the dance goes on. "
Context, form and betting notes
Preview material for the tie recalled Benfica's league-stage 4-2 win over Real Madrid weeks earlier. Real were heavy favourites for qualification given their lead and home advantage and were 1/2 to win in 90 minutes in pre-match markets. A separate betting suggestion recommended 1. 5pts on a penalty being awarded in the match at 7/4. The preview noted that across Benfica's last 15 matches a penalty had been awarded in eight, seven of those in Benfica's favour, and that the same eight-in-15 figure applied to Real Madrid. Real had won 14 of their last 16 matches in front of their own supporters, while Benfica's recent away form was described as patchy.
The referee Slavko Vincic was highlighted for his frequency in awarding spot-kicks: he had given 12 penalties across 23 games this season, with a penalty awarded in 39% of his outings, compared with a Premier League average of around 21% last season. The preview also noted that Real sit second to Newcastle for penalties scored in this season's competition and that Real's penalty tally had been boosted by two converted spot-kicks against Qarabag. It was reported that Jose Mourinho would not face the media before the game.
The preview carried a reminder that recommended bets were advised to over-18s and urged readers to wager only what they can afford to lose. For those concerned about gambling, a National Gambling Helpline number given was 0808 8020 133.
What comes next
Real Madrid will now prepare to face either Sporting Lisbon or Man City in the Champions League last 16. The club progressed after the two-legged tie that combined the events in Lisbon and the return at the Santiago Bernabeu, where supporters held up banners with messages of support for Vinicius and displays reading "no to racism" in Spanish, while the messages "No to racism" and "Respect" were read out as players took the field.
Real Madrid advanced 3-1 on aggregate after the 2-1 home win, with the tie shaped by on-field action and the disciplinary fallout that followed the first leg in Lisbon.
