Benfica 0-1 Real Madrid (Vinícius Júnior). A game marred in controversy… This is my immediate reaction. Get more: Player ratings, interviews and a much needed podcast.
A play-off that Real Madrid never wanted to play – but now have to after an embarrassing defeat against the very side they were drawn against. Would Benfica cause another upset, or would Real Madrid stand strong under the pressure? With Trent Alexander-Arnold back in form, and Antonio Rüdiger returning to the line-up, things were looking
good at the back for the first time in recent memory. The usuals made up the attacking spaces, and Fede Valverde captained the team.
The first-half was full of line-breaking passes and missed opportunities. Trent Alexander-Arnold was at his best, with Fede Valverde joining the passing spectacle. The chances came through Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé – and with the team playing well, it seemed a miracle that Benfica made it to half-time with the score reading 0-0. They did have one decent chance when Fredrik Aursnes forced a save from Thibaut Courtois, but would need a lot more in the second-half.
Things started positively after the break for Real Madrid – as Vinícius Júnior scored a world class goal from the side of the box. The game lost its mind from here though, as the Brazilian was booked for his celebration, before suffering abuse from Gianluca Prestiani. What the Argentinian said is impossible to decipher, as he intentionally hid his mouth under his shirt to say it, but nobody goes to such lengths to give their opponent a compliment. The game was stopped for ten minutes as Vinícius filed a complaint to the referee, and everyone decided to lose their temper. Upon the restart, it was clearly deflated. Not much happened until Jose Mourinho was sent off for another nonsensical demonstration from the Benfica contingent. Real Madrid were handling the game well, though – and concluded the fiasco, and the 12 added minutes, with a 1-0 win. Wow. What was your take on that circus?
