Real Madrid 2-1 Benfica: Report & Full Match Highlights as Vini Jr. Has His Say

Real Madrid booked their place in the Round of 16 thanks to a 2-1 win at the Bernabeu, resulting in a 3-1 win on aggregate. Goals from Aurélien Tchouaméni and Vinicius Jr. earned the win after Benfica took the lead early.

It was a poor performance from the home side, who rode their luck numerous times. However, it was Vinicius Jr. who had the final say, which many may have predicted after the drama from the first leg.

Los Blancos will wait for the draw on Friday, where they will face either Manchester City or Sporting CF in the next stage.

Vinicius Jr. the Difference as Real Madrid Advance

The home crowd brought the noise in the opening minutes, but it was Benfica who settled into the game, controlling possession as they looked to overturn the one-goal deficit. It was the Portuguese side who had the first shot on target, but it was comfortable for Thibaut Courtois.

Vinicius Jr. was the outlet for Los Blancos, and he used his skill to get into the area to prod a shot wide after being under pressure. However, minutes later benfica were rewarded for their strong start. The Eagles found space down the left, with Alvaro carreras nowhere to be seen, and after Courtois saved from Asencio, whose block went towards goal. Rafa Silva turned the ball home.

That looked to have woken the home team up, as moments later, they were level. Aurélien Tchouaméni smashed the ball home from the edge of the area after Fede Valverde picked him out. It was the Frenchman's first-ever Champions League goal, and it was a beauty.

💥 TchouaBOOOOM! pic.twitter.com/HW2LKDqS6z
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) February 25, 2026

The away team nearly were back in front, a ball across the front of the goal was just out of reach of the goalscorer Silva, who could not turn it into the net. It was a very open game. Vini Jr. tested the Benfica goalkeeper with a low drive after great work to wriggle away from the defenders.

Fifteen minutes before half-time, Los Blancos thought they extended their lead when Arda Guler stabbed home after the ball bounced around in the six-yard box. However, Gonzalo Garcia was offside prior to the ball finding the net. Richard Ríos nearly put Benfica back in front, but his fierce shot was saved by Courtois.

After a quiet start to the second half, Benfica struck the bar in the 60th minute. It was Silva again, whose shot was deflected onto the bar courtesy of Asencio's boot. The game ticked on, and the home fans were beginning to become anxious, and with that, the players were making mistakes, which in turn gave Benfica confidence.

When things looked to be up in the air, it was Vinicius Jr. who relieved the pressure, and you just knew he would have a say in the game. The Brazilian was played through by Valverde, and after a few touches, he opened his body to slip the ball into the far corner.

🙌 @ViniJr 🙌 pic.twitter.com/RgKBQaM8kh
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) February 25, 2026

The game drifted to a conclusion, and despite a below par perfomance, all that matters is they are in the next round.

Real Madrid vs Benfica Full Match Highlights

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Next up for Real Madrid are back at the Bernabeu as they face Getafe. Barcelona plays before them and could have extended their lead to five points with three points.