UCL: Madrid defeat Benfica in controversial match as Galatasaray thrash Juventus

Vinicius Jr. scored a second-half winner to lead Real Madrid to a 1-0 victory over Benfica in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League (UCL) knockout round playoff tie at the Estadio da Luz on Tuesday night.

The match was a repeat of the league-stage meeting Benfica won 4-2 on a last-minute winner. However, Real Madrid were more dominant in this encounter, with Vinicius Jr. scoring the winner in a heated, hot-tempered match marred by alleged racism.

Benfica started the better side and tested Thibaut Courtois for an early goal, but the Belgian goalkeeper smothered the attempt, and Real Madrid took over proceedings.

However, Kylian Mbappe could not finish off chances created; the striker could not connect to a Trent Alexander-Arnold pass, had a shot saved, and also failed to finish a Vinicius Jr. pass as both sides went into the break level.

The match sparked to life when Vinicius Jr. collected a pass from Mbappe and worked a yard of space before bending a shot into the top corner to hand the visitors a deserved lead. The Brazilian winger’s celebrations led to an on-field melee, culminating in alleged racist abuse by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni on the goalscorer.

Vinicius Jr. walked off the pitch, and the standoff lasted ten minutes before play resumed.

Both sides could not add to the scoreline, and Real Madrid takes the slim one-goal lead to the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu next week.

In the first match of the day, Victor Osimhen led Galatasaray to a 5-2 win over 10-man Juventus to leave the Italians with a mountain to climb in the second leg. The Nigerian striker was heavily involved in all goals as he pressed the Juventus defence, providing two assists, and creating space for Gabriel Sara, Noah Lang (brace), Davinson Sanchez, and Sacha Boey to bulge the net of the Old Lady. The Turkish champions maintained their unbeaten home record against Italian clubs in Europe, and scored five goals in a UCL match for the first time in their history.

Paris Saint-Germain, UCL champions, came from two goals down to defeat Monaco 3-2 in their all-French affair.

RESULTS
Galatasaray 5-2 Juventus
AS Monaco 2-3 Paris Saint-Germain
Benfica 0-1 Real Madrid
Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Atalanta