Real Madrid, without Mbappé and with fair football, beats Benfica and advances to the Champions League round of 16 at the pace of Vinicius

Actual Madrid is on strong floor within the spherical of 16 of the Champions League. Not in probably the most stunning means, however they achieved it after overcoming a tie towards Benfica muddied by the controversy of the primary leg and the soccer obstacles of the second leg. [Narración y estadísticas: Real Madrid 2-1 Benfica]

Vinicius sentenced, who scored for the fifth recreation in a row and confirmed his good second of kind. He additionally danced. The scare got here when Benfica took the lead within the first half, with a aim from Rafa Silva, however a aim from Tchouaméni two minutes later restored calm.

The whites will likely be within the Champions League draw this Friday, together with Barça and Atleti. And they’re going to have two potential rivals within the subsequent spherical: one other Portuguese crew, Sporting CP, or their basic rival of current seasons in Europe, Guardiola’s Metropolis.

The day of Mourinho’s return, with out Mourinho on the bench, his apprentice Arbeloa was going to should endure it with out the good star of Actual Madrid: Kylian Mbappé. The Frenchman, hobbled by his left knee harm, didn’t even make the listing. Gonzalo took his place.

Prestianni was not current at Benfica, sanctioned – provisionally – by UEFA after his incident within the first leg with Vinicius. And returning to Mou, the Portuguese didn’t seem in sales space 6 that he had reserved within the Bernabéu press gallery. He most well-liked to look at the sport from the bus somewhat than go into the fish tank underneath the gaze of reporters and followers.

Thus, with half of Spanish – and Portuguese – journalism questioning the place ‘The Particular One’ was, a match started that might be removed from being a stroll within the park for Madrid. Benfica spent the primary minutes stalking the white aim; and by casting the rod a lot, he ended up catching fish.

Benfica went forward

It was earlier than the primary quarter of an hour was up. Madrid, out of place, allowed Pavlidis to get deep down their proper wing. The Greek put a low cross into the guts of the world and Asencio, in an try and intercept the ball, shot in direction of his personal aim.

Courtois, who won’t be sufficient to cease opposing pictures, took out a miraculous foot to stop his teammate’s personal aim. However Rafa Silva was properly positioned there to take the rebound and push for the aim.

Chilly sweat ran down the our bodies of the white gamers. Extra due to the -bad- emotions within the recreation than virtually due to the aim, which was solely affirmation that issues weren’t going properly. Fortunately the scare lasted a few minutes. Till Tchouaméni scored.

From a loss by Benfica of their subject, Madrid’s assault was born. Güler intelligently opened Valverde who, simply as intelligent, noticed how Tchouaméni dangerously appeared on the balcony of the world. Aurélien fired from the entrance with a mid-range shot that Trubin missed.

The 1-1 draw, now, was one other recreation. With Madrid now extra assured, however dedicated to a back-and-forth rhythm that’s as helpful on this Champions League night time as it’s harmful. It was from minute 20-25 onwards that Arbeloa’s males did obtain better management of possession – and subsequently, of the match.

Güler’s disallowed aim

Madrid’s ‘momentum’ had arrived and so they have been in a position to benefit from it. Or virtually. Half an hour into the sport, a lofted ball from Vinicius loomed dangerously over the Portuguese goalkeeper. Valverde headed in on the far put up, however didn’t hit the aim.

Subsequent, Gonzalo gained the battle towards the veteran Otamendi within the small space and the ball remained lifeless for Güler, probably the most daring of all, to place the aim in. The Bernabéu scored a aim, however Vincic, the Slovenian referee of the match, acquired a warning from the VAR: Gonzalo was offside. On one in every of his shoulders, as revealed by the strains drawn by know-how. Objective disallowed.

The ultimate stretch of the primary half left some extra saves for Courtois, the yellow for the Colombian Richard Ríos and little else. The referee pointed to the tunnel after a minute of added time and, after the primary half, the tie was nonetheless open.

Neither Arbeloa nor Mourinho – wherever they have been – made any adjustments at half-time. The strain was rising and this was mirrored within the two yellow playing cards that Otamendi and Asencio noticed within the first fifteen minutes after the restart. Rafa Silva, the creator of the 0-1 scoreline, additionally made Courtois’ aim tremble with a shot towards the crossbar.

The clearest one for Madrid in the course of the match was a shot by Trent barely off the put up. In brief, the second half was boring and a protracted break, properly executed, was added on account of a harmful picture that Asencio starred in.

The Madrid youth participant suffered a brutal blow together with his teammate Camavinga and was the worst off. Asencio fell face-first into the grass from a substantial peak. Docs have been involved about his jaw and he needed to be taken off on a stretcher. Together with him, however on foot, the Frenchman additionally left. Those that entered have been Alaba and Mastantuono.

Vinicius danced

The sport had cooled down, however the one who by no means does, for higher or worse, is Vinicius. After 80 roughly timid minutes, a fleeting motion, a rapacious run, was sufficient for the Brazilian to shut the match. Particular point out to the divided ball that Valverde gained within the midfield and to the deep move that he made typically. Then, the ‘7’, with the within and tight, beat Trubin.

Vinicius danced and Arbeloa absolutely breathed. The two-1 rating, with ten minutes remaining, put Madrid greater than a foot and a half into the second spherical. Solely a debacle would forestall it, and with Benfica in need of air it appeared unattainable. Mou’s males didn’t fear Courtois any extra and so they mentioned goodbye to the Champions League on the Bernabéu.

Madrid passes spherical. With simply sufficient. Anticipate Manchester Metropolis or Sporting. One other playoff handed, with out Mourinho being seen within the white coliseum 13 years later. The stuff from ‘The Particular One’.

Actual Madrid 2-1 Benfica

Actual Madrid: Courtois; Trent, Rüdiger, Asensio (Alaba, m.78), Carreras (Fran García, m.91); Tchouaméni, Camavinga (Mastantuono, m.78), Fede Valverde, Guler (Palacios, m.84); Vinicius and Gonzalo (Thiago, m.84).

Benfica: Trubin; Dedic, Araújo, Otamendi, Dahl; Aursnes (Barrenechea, m.85), Richard Ríos, Leandro Barreiro (Lopes Cabral, m.91); Schjelderup (Ivanovic, m.85), Rafa Silva y Pavlidis.

Objectives: 0-1, m.14: Rafa Silva; 1-1, m.16: Tchouaméni; 2-1, m.80: Vinícius.

Referee: Slavko Vinčić (Slovenia). He cautioned Asencio (57) and Palacios (96), for Actual Madrid; and Richard Ríos (35) and Otamendi (51), for Benfica.

Incidents: second leg match of the spherical of entry to the spherical of 16 of the Champions League, performed on the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in entrance of 83,300 spectators, 4,500 Benfica followers.