Vinicius Jr. he was doing what he does best. He made a moment about football again.
Just days after being involved in a racist altercation in Lisbon, the Real Madrid forward struck the decisive blow to end Benfica’s resistance and send Madrid into the last 16. A 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu sealed a 3-1 aggregate victory, but it was Vinicius’ late strike that shaped the narrative of the night.
The build-up to the return leg has been dominated by the fallout from the first meeting in Portugal, where Vinicius accused Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni of using discriminatory language. With Prestianni suspended and Jose Mourinho missing from the touchline after his red card, the focus finally turned back to the tactical battle on the pitch.
Benfica came out with intent and struck early through Rafa Silva in the 14th minute after Madrid failed to clear their lines in the box.
Madrid responded purposefully. Federico Valverde raced down the right and squared the ball inside half for Aurelien Tchouameni, who timed his arrival perfectly before curling in a finish from the edge of the area.
The match stretched into the second half. Benfica continued to find space between the lines and even rattled the crossbar as Madrid struggled to maintain possession.
The breakthrough came in the 80th minute.
Valverde pounced on a loose pass in midfield and released Vinicius into the channel. The Brazilian turned his run to beat the line, drive into the area and put a composed finish into the bottom corner to seal the tie on Madrid’s terms.
VINICIUS HAS REVENGE
Vinicius’ goal had weight behind the goal line. After all the noise that followed the first stretch, this was his way of dragging the conversation back to where it belongs – on the field. The Brazilian broke into his corner flag dance again, the same celebration that fueled the tension in Lisbon, but this time it felt less like a provocation and more like a statement.
Instead of being drawn into the theatre, Vinicius let his football do the talking. His strike came as Benfica were still probing and Madrid had yet to fully settle in control. It changed the tempo of the tie and finally gave Los Blancos the lead they needed.
What’s next for Real Madrid?
Madrid may have sealed progression, but the draw highlighted several defensive weaknesses that cannot be ignored.
Benfica found pockets between the lines and asked uncomfortable questions of a backline already stretched by the absence of Eder Militao and Dean Huijsen. The lack of Kylian Mbappe up front meant Madrid lacked their usual cutting edge in transition.
Still, the result is important at this stage.
Real Madrid advances to the round of 16, where a sharper tactical battle awaits against Manchester City or Sporting CP.
– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
February 26, 2026
