16th March 2023 – (Madrid) Real Madrid secured their place in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night with a hard-fought 1-0 win against Liverpool at home. The Spanish giants won the tie 6-2 on aggregate, and will now wait to find out their opponents in the next stage of the competition.
Karim Benzema scored the all-important goal for Real Madrid in the 79th minute, taking advantage of a fortuitous bounce of the ball in Liverpool’s penalty area. The Frenchman’s cool finish sealed the win for his side, who never looked in danger of surrendering their commanding 5-2 lead from the first leg.
Both teams had chances to score in an entertaining first half, but Real Madrid enjoyed the better of them. Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker produced a series of stunning saves to keep his side in the tie, including a remarkable reflex stop from Vinicius Jr’s close-range effort.
The Brazilian goalkeeper also tipped over Eduardo Camavinga’s deflected shot from outside the box, denying Real Madrid a potentially crucial away goal. Luka Modric and Vinicius Jr also went close for the Spanish side, but Alisson’s heroics ensured the scoreline remained goalless at the break.
The second half began much like the first, with Real Madrid on the front foot and Liverpool struggling to cope with their opponents’ attacking prowess. Alisson was called into action again early on, denying Federico Valverde after a costly error from Andrew Robertson.
Despite Liverpool’s valiant efforts to get back into the tie, it was Real Madrid who continued to create the better chances. Benzema, in particular, looked dangerous every time he had the ball, and it was no surprise when he finally broke the deadlock in the 79th minute.
The French striker pounced on a loose ball in the Liverpool box, finishing with aplomb to put the tie beyond any doubt. Real Madrid could have added further goals late on, but the damage had already been done, and they will now look forward to the quarterfinals with renewed confidence.