Real Madrid advanced to the Champions League Round of 16 despite a setback in the second leg of their playoff tie against Benfica, winning 2-1 on Wednesday and securing a 3-1 aggregate victory. The match, played at the Santiago Bernabéu, saw Aurélien Tchouaméni and Vinícius Júnior score for the Spanish side, while António Silva found the net for Benfica.
The victory came at a cost for Real Madrid, however, as star forward Kylian Mbappé was absent from the squad due to a continuing knee injury. The French international experienced discomfort during training on Tuesday, forcing him to miss the crucial match against the Portuguese side, according to reports from ESPN and Goal.com. Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa indicated that Mbappé’s absence would be “longer” than a few days, though a precise return date remains uncertain.
Benfica opened the scoring in the 14th minute through António Silva, capitalizing on an early opportunity. However, Tchouaméni quickly leveled the score just two minutes later, restoring Madrid’s advantage in the tie. Vinícius Júnior then extended the lead in the 56th minute, securing the win for Los Blancos.
The match also took place against a backdrop of controversy surrounding Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni, who was provisionally suspended by UEFA following accusations of racism during the first leg. Prestianni reportedly admitted to using an anti-gay slur during an exchange with Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior, though he denied using racist language, according to ESPN. Prestianni was not involved in Wednesday’s match.
Elsewhere in the Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain narrowly overcame Monaco, winning 5-4 on aggregate after a 2-2 draw. Mamadou Coulibaly was sent off for Monaco in the 60th minute, and Marquinhos and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored for PSG. Atalanta completed a remarkable comeback, defeating Borussia Dortmund 4-1 to advance 4-3 on aggregate, with a late penalty securing their place in the next round. Juventus and Galatasaray played out a thrilling tie, with Galatasaray ultimately progressing 7-5 on aggregate after a 3-2 victory, despite Juventus’s late fightback and a red card for Lloyd Kelly.
The Champions League Round of 16 draw is scheduled for Friday at 6 a.m. ET and will determine Real Madrid’s opponent, with Sporting CP and Manchester City as potential matchups. Atalanta will face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich, while Galatasaray will play Atlético Madrid or Barcelona/Chelsea. PSG will be drawn against either Newcastle United or Sporting CP, and Real Madrid will face Sporting or Manchester City.
