Real Madrid Vs Benfica: real madrid vs benfica ends 2-1 as Madrid reach last 16

In a charged return tie at the Bernabéu, real madrid vs benfica finished 2-1 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate as Real Madrid progressed to the Champions League last 16. Aurélien Tchouaméni said the result was "a victory for everyone who stands against racism. "

Real Madrid Vs Benfica match summary

Benfica opened the scoring after 14 minutes through Rafa Silva, levelling the tie early in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu. Aurelien Tchouaméni restored parity with a powerful strike from distance, his first goal of the season and the first-half equaliser that put Real back in charge. Vinicius Jr then sealed the tie with a decisive strike with 10 minutes remaining, giving Real a 2-1 win on the night and a 3-1 aggregate victory to reach the last 16. Real will play either Sporting Lisbon or Man City in the next round.

Prestianni suspension and appeal

Gianluca Prestianni, the Benfica player accused by Vinicius Jr of racial abuse in the first leg in Lisbon, denied the allegation. UEFA imposed a provisional one-match suspension on Prestianni on Monday, ruling him out of the return leg, and he travelled to Madrid with the Benfica squad but did not play after UEFA rejected Benfica's last-minute appeal. UEFA appointed an ethics and disciplinary investigator (EDI) following the first leg and 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. " A statement noted that "Mr Gianluca Prestianni remains provisionally suspended for the next UEFA club competition match for which he would otherwise be eligible. "

Vinicius' goals and reaction

Vinicius Jr had already scored the only goal in the first leg in Lisbon, five minutes into the second half, curling the ball home from a tight angle. He left the field during that first-leg match and refused to return, prompting a stoppage in play that lasted 10 minutes. In the return fixture he again celebrated by dancing near the corner flag after his 80th-minute strike and later posted on social media that "the dance goes on. " Fans at the stadium showed visible support, holding up banners that read "No to racism" and "Respect, " and those messages were read out as the players took to the field.

Tchouaméni: quotes and impact

Aurélien Tchouaméni, who was described as born in France but of Cameroonian descent, scored Real's equaliser and was named player of the match for a second straight Champions League game. He said: "I think there are more important things than this match, than football. " He added that "Vinicius keeps his confidence and he keeps focused on what he needs to do" and: "I think they made the right decision by not letting the boy [Prestianni] play this match. " Tchouaméni concluded: "Like I said, there are things more important than football and this is a victory for all of us. " He also reflected personally: "I'm doing things well. I've tried to do what I know. I'm very happy with the goal, it's something I have to improve on. I have a lot of confidence. I try to do my best in every game and we have to keep it up. "

Reactions from teammates and staff

Trent Alexander-Arnold described Vinicius as "very chilled" and "very relaxed" before the fixture and said: "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. His finish was superb. " Real Madrid boss Álvaro Arbeloa said: "[I reacted] with joy obviously, for the great goal he scored, and because it was him, he deserves it. "

Wednesday's result settled a tie that had been overshadowed by the allegation in Lisbon and the subsequent disciplinary actions, and it sent Real Madrid through to the Champions League last 16.