In the final group stage match on 28/1, Benfica surprisingly beat Real 4-2. That result allowed the Portuguese team to narrowly advance to the playoff round, while costing the Madrid giants a direct ticket to the round of 16. Learning from that defeat, Real controlled the match more effectively. They proactively slowed the tempo, minimized risks, increased defensive depth, and exploited Benfica's tendency to lose possession easily.

In the first half, Benfica created only one chance. Fredrik Aursnes's shot was deflected towards the bottom corner, but goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made an excellent save for the visiting team.

Vinicius shoots from the edge of the box to score in Real's victory over Benfica in the Champions League playoff first leg on the evening of 17/2. Photo: AS

While Benfica lacked sharpness, Real improved their attack towards the end of the first half. If goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin had not reacted well, Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler might have opened the scoring earlier. Mbappe also missed another opportunity, sending the ball just over the bar.

Real continued to press their advantage after the break. In the 60th minute, they took the lead with a superb goal from Vinicius. The Brazilian forward received the ball on the left wing, cut past a defender, and curled a shot from 18 meters into the top corner.

After celebrating his goal, Vinicius reported to the referee that opposing player Gianluca Prestianni had called him a "monkey". The referee then paused the match to investigate the alleged racist behavior. However, lip-reading was impossible as Prestianni covered his mouth when speaking. An argument erupted between the two benches, leading to one of coach Jose Mourinho's assistants being sent off.

The confrontation between Vinicius and Prestianni (in red) sparked allegations of racism during the Benfica versus Real Champions League playoff first leg on the evening of 17/2. Photo: AS

That goal was Vinicius's 31st in the Champions League. The Real star is the second-highest scoring Brazilian player in the competition, trailing only Neymar, who has 43 goals.

After the match resumed, Real continued to dominate. In the 78th minute, Vinicius nearly scored a second goal with a shot aimed at the far corner, forcing Trubin to make a save.

Towards the end of the match, the atmosphere grew more tense. In the 85th minute, Mourinho was sent off for demanding the referee issue a second yellow card to Vinicius. The Benfica coach will not be able to directly manage the second leg at the Bernabeu next week. On Real's side, Mbappe received a yellow card for not respecting the distance of the defensive wall.

Real successfully defended their one-goal lead until the final whistle, gaining a significant advantage ahead of the second leg. Meanwhile, if Benfica wants to create a second miracle, they must win at the Bernabeu.

Thanh Quy