Real Madrid - Benfica: Vinicius winner seals progression and a stand against racism
Real Madrid - Benfica ended 2-1 at the Bernabeu as Vinicius Jr's 80th-minute curled finish secured a 3-1 aggregate victory and a place in the Champions League round of 16. The result carried extra weight after allegations of racial abuse in the tie, a suspension for Gianluca Prestianni and visible anti-racism support from the home crowd.
Match at the Bernabeu: scoreline and sequence
Benfica took the lead in the return leg when Rafa Silva tapped in to put them ahead on the night, briefly levelling the tie on aggregate. Two minutes later Aurelien Tchouameni swept home a first-half equaliser that restored Real Madrid's advantage. Vinicius Jr then curled into the bottom corner in the 80th minute to make it 2-1 on the night and 3-1 over the two legs, sending Real through to the last 16.
Aurelien Tchouameni and the equaliser
Tchouameni's leveller came early in the tie and proved decisive in shifting momentum; he also framed the result in moral terms, saying there were bigger issues than football and calling the victory a stand for those who oppose racism. He praised Vinicius Jr's focus and supported the decision to bar the accused player from the return leg.
Vinicius Jr and the 80th-minute strike
Vinicius, who had scored the first-leg winner, produced the decisive finish at the Bernabeu, celebrated with his corner-flag dance and later posted on social media that "the dance goes on. " Teammates and former players highlighted his composure: Trent Alexander-Arnold described him as "very chilled" and "very relaxed" before the match and said he does not need to prove his quality, while Joe Cole praised his performance over both legs and called the finish "superb. " Real Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa said he reacted with joy for the goal and because Vinicius deserved it.
Gianluca Prestianni suspension and fan reaction
Vinicius had alleged racial abuse by Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni during the first leg; Prestianni denied the allegation. Prestianni was handed a one-match ban and missed the Wednesday return leg, and UEFA later suspended him after an appeal was dismissed. Home supporters displayed a banner in Spanish reading "no to racism" before kick-off, underscoring the backdrop to the on-field events.
Injuries, incidents and wider Champions League context
The night also saw Raul Asencio withdrawn on a stretcher following an accidental aerial clash with team-mate Eduardo Camavinga. Beyond the tie, the result sends Real into the Champions League round of 16 at a moment of shifting continental balance: 16 teams now remain in the 2025-26 competition, with six coming from the Premier League — a first for that domestic league. Italy has just one representative, Atalanta, reversing a period from 2005 to 2012 when three Italian clubs regularly reached the last 16.
Round of 16 draw and potential opponents
The draw for the Round of 16 is scheduled for Friday, with fixtures for the knockout phase returning in March. Real could face Sporting CP or potentially Manchester City; Real and City have met 15 times since 2012 with five wins each and five draws when considered in isolation, and Guardiola's side won their most recent meeting 2-1 in Madrid during the group stage. Observers noted that Real's chances in a heavyweight tie could hinge on recovering several of their injured senior players.
What makes this notable is the overlap between an important competitive outcome and a clear public stance against racism: the on-pitch victory, disciplinary action that removed a player from a key match, and the visible fan message combined to give the result consequences beyond qualification alone.
