The Santiago Bernabéu has witnessed countless heroic narratives, but few have carried the emotional weight of the one written by Vinicius Jnr on Wednesday night. A week after alleging he was the target of racial abuse in Lisbon, the Brazilian winger returned to the scene to score the decisive goal that sent Real Madrid into the Champions League last 16 with a 2-1 win over Benfica, sealing a 3-1 aggregate victory.
The night was charged with meaning before a ball was even kicked. With Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni—the player accused by Vinicius—provisionally suspended by UEFA following an investigation, the Bernabéu made its feelings known. Banners condemning racism were unfurled, and a stadium announcement boomed with the messages "No to racism" and "Respect."
On the pitch, the drama was just as compelling. Benfica silenced the home crowd after just 14 minutes when Rafa Silva slotted home, momentarily levelling the tie on aggregate. But the lead lasted only minutes. Aurélien Tchouaméni, who had joked in the warm-up that it was his day to score, unleashed a powerful strike from distance to restore Madrid's aggregate advantage. "In the warm-up, I scored many goals and we said that today was my day. I’m very happy to help the team," Tchouaméni revealed after the match.
Despite the scoreline, it was far from a vintage Madrid performance. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was candid in his assessment, admitting the team lacked fluidity. "I don’t think we’re playing wonderfully, but winning now is the most important thing," Courtois said. With a wry smile, he even predicted their familiar fate in the next round: "Sporting or City? You know it will be Manchester City, but I hope it can change".
Then, with ten minutes left, the night reached its crescendo. Vinicius sprinted through on goal and calmly finished to seal the tie. He ran to the corner flag and danced, soaking in the adoration of a crowd that had rallied behind him. For Courtois, seeing that celebration was the best part. "I'm happy that Vinicius started dancing because that means he's scoring goals".
For Benfica, it was a heartbreaking exit. Rafa felt his team had gone toe-to-toe with the European champions. "We fought face to face against this opponent, who is very difficult, and we played an excellent game," he said . Young winger Schjelderup was left to rue missed chances. "We created many opportunities to get a better result, but today it wasn't enough," he lamented. "Hopefully, next time we come here, we can win, because we have the team and quality to do so".
PSG Survive Monaco Scare to Set Up Blockbuster Tie
Over at the Parc des Princes, Paris Saint-Germain advanced to the last 16 with a 5-4 aggregate win over Monaco, but not without a serious fight. After a tense 90 minutes, a 3-1 win on the night saw them through.
Monaco had arrived brimming with confidence. Defender Jordan Teze set an ambitious tone before kick-off, declaring, "Paris is strong, but we're capable of beating them. It could be a magical match". For a while, it looked like it might be. Maghnes Akliouche fired Monaco ahead just before half-time, leaving PSG frustrated.
The game turned just before the hour mark when Monaco's Mamadou Coulibaly was sent off. PSG captain Marquinhos praised his team's unshakeable mentality after the final whistle, a philosophy instilled by the coach. "We don't change anything. Even when we're losing 2-0, if we win, if the match is tough... we don't change anything. That's our philosophy". Within minutes of the red card, Marquinhos himself levelled the tie, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia tapped in to put PSG clear. A late Jordan Teze consolation was all Monaco could muster.
The holders will now face either Chelsea or Barcelona in the next round.
Osimhen Makes History as Galatasaray Hold Off 10-Man Juventus
In Turin, Victor Osimhen cemented his legendary status in Istanbul. Despite Galatasaray losing 3-1 on the night to a valiant 10-man Juventus, they progressed 7-5 on aggregate after a classic European slugfest.
Juventus, trailing 5-2 from the first leg, threw everything at the Turks. Down to ten men after Lloyd Kelly was sent off, goals from Federico Gatti and Weston McKennie dragged them back into the tie, forcing extra time. But Galatasaray held firm. Osimhen, with a precise finish in the 106th minute, not only steadied his team but also made history, becoming the foreign player with the most European competition goals in Galatasaray's history.
Despite the milestone, Osimhen was gracious in defeat on the night. "This match was disappointing from the start. Congratulations to Juventus; they really pushed us hard," he told the club's official website. In a moment of remarkable sportsmanship, he added, "Juventus deserved to win, but we deserved to advance to the next round" .
Galatasaray VP Abdullah Kavukcu had warned Juventus before the game that their first-leg demolition was "not the result of luck" . After surviving the Turin onslaught, his words rang true. They will face either Liverpool or Tottenham next.
Atalanta's "Whirlwind of Emotions" Ends with Dortmund KO
The most dramatic finish of the night came in Bergamo, where Atalanta pulled off a miraculous comeback, beating Borussia Dortmund 4-1 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate, thanks to a penalty with the last kick of the game.
Trailing 2-0 from the first leg, Atalanta needed a miracle. Inspired by the belief expressed by Marten de Roon before the match—"We must always believe, and we believe a lot"—they tore into Dortmund. Goals from Gianluca Scamacca and Davide Zappacosta levelled the tie on aggregate by half-time. When Mario Pasalic headed them ahead, the comeback was on.
Dortmund, however, showed its class. Karim Adeyemi curled in a stunning equaliser with 15 minutes left, seemingly sending the tie to extra time. But in the 98th minute, deep into stoppage time, a high boot from Dortmund's Ramy Bensebaini was penalised. Up stepped Lazar Samardzic to blast home the penalty with the last kick of the game, sparking delirious scenes.
"It was a whirlwind of emotions," admitted Atalanta defender Sead Kolasinac afterwards. "When the referee decided on a penalty, I didn't know who would take it. All our penalty takers had been substituted, but luckily Lazar converted brilliantly".
Dortmund captain Emre Can offered no excuses, admitting his error-prone side got what they deserved. "If you make so many individual errors, it's going to be difficult to progress... We were very unlucky, but to be honest, we didn't deserve to advance"
