Which teams can Real Madrid play in the Round of 16 in the Champions League?
The Spanish side beat Benfica to continue their match in Europe’s elite competition.
Real Madrid beat Benfica 0-1 in the first leg and 2-1 in the second leg to progress to the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League.
An intense game in Lisbon was marred by a controversial incident in which Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni was alleged to have made a racist remark to Vinicius Jr. The incident sparked fury around the world and Benfica’s official stance and that of their manager, José Mourinho, only served to stoke the flames.
Prestianni himself has not apologised and did not back down from his initial stance, maintaining that he is innocent and even complaining about UEFA’s provisional ban which saw him suspended for the second leg while the investigation was opened.
In the game at the Bernabéu, the players were welcomed with an anti-racism tifo from the Real Madrid fans, and Vini Jr was given the full support from a crowd who had previously booed him for a dip in performances earlier in the season.
Real Madrid won 2-1 thanks to goals from Arda Güler and Vini Jr, and they now enter the draw for the Round of 16, to be held on Friday at 6:00 a.m. ET/3:00 a.m. PT.
Given the way the draw works, Real Madrid will either return to Lisbon to face Sporting CP, or travel to England to play Manchester City, who they have faced every season since the 2021/22 campaign.
5 - Vinícius Júnior has scored in his last five appearances for Real Madrid in all competitions (six goals), equalling his best scoring run for the club (five games also between August and September 2022, five goals). Samba. pic.twitter.com/XyQ3mPODps
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) February 25, 2026
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