By Fernando Callas
MADRID, March 15 (Reuters) – Real Madrid qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a second-half goal from Karim Benzema that earned them a comfortable 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the second leg of the Round of 16, which ended in a 6-2 aggregate tie.
Real Madrid, who are aspiring to win back-to-back Champions League titles and their fifteenth European crown, were very disciplined and limited themselves to containing a docile and safe Liverpool for most of the game.
Real Madrid squandered several chances to open the scoring, taking advantage of Vinícius Jr.’s speed on the counterattack, but they failed to break the tie until the end of the second half.
Victory was sealed in the 79th minute, when Vinícius gave away a loose ball in the box to Benzema, who finished with an empty goal.
“It was a difficult game, with a good opponent, but from the start we showed that we wanted to go forward. It was a very good game for the fans and we are already in the quarter-finals”, Benzema said.
Needing a three-goal win after losing 5-2 at home, Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp chose a strong attacking side with strikers Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota and Darwin Núñez in the XI. departure.
Núñez nearly scored in the 6th minute, after Salah stole the ball from Éder Militão and set up the Uruguayan, but his low shot was blocked by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Real Madrid, who played with two disciplined defensive lines at four and only Vinícius Jr. and Benzema up front, looked for a counterattack by taking advantage of the Brazilian’s speed down the left.
The Brazilian helped Benzema twice but the French striker lost both times.
The inspired Vinícius nearly scored in the 14th minute, but his close-range shot was saved brilliantly by Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson.
Real Madrid nearly scored when Eduardo Camavinga fired a long shot that hit the crossbar and Luka Modric also fired a powerful shot over the crossbar.
Courtois made good saves to avoid shots from Núñez and Gakpo, but Real Madrid remained in control and were comfortable slowing the pace of play to frustrate their opponents.
The hosts were more aggressive in the second half and managed to score through Federico Valverde and Benzema, who squandered golden chances near the opposing goal.
However, it was Vinícius who recovered a stray ball after a poor shot from Benzema and found the Frenchman unmarked which sealed the tie. (Reporting by Fernando Kallás; Spanish edition by Tomás Cobos)