Champions League round-up: Vinicius Jr scores again to edge Real Madrid past Benfica

Meanwhile PSG, who won the Champions League for the first time last season, also fell behind to Monaco but recovered to draw 2-2 and advance 5-4 on aggregate.

Wed, 25 Feb, 2026 - 22:36

James Whelan

With the winning goal and another corner-flag dance, Vinicius Jr fittingly had the final say in an emotionally charged rematch with Benfica to guide Real Madrid into the round of 16 of the Champions League on Wednesday.

Playing a week after being the target of alleged racial abuse in the first leg against Benfica, Vinicius wrapped up Madrid’s 2-1 win over the Portuguese team — and a 3-1 victory on aggregate — with his team’s second goal in the 80th minute at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

The Brazil star celebrated his goal like he did last week, by dancing beside the corner flag.

Benfica opened the scoring in the 14th minute through Rafa Silva to briefly bring the score level at 1-1 on aggregate, only for Aurelien Tchouameni to equalize two minutes later.

PSG, who won the Champions League for the first time last season, also fell behind to Monaco but recovered to draw 2-2 and advance 5-4 on aggregate.

Monaco took the lead before half time through Akliouche before Coulibaly was sent off for two quick yellow cards.

PSG soon turned the tie around through Marquinhos and Kvaratskhelia but Teze levelled the scores in injury time to set up an interesting final few moments in which PSG has to survive one last scare as the visitors ought to have netted with the last kick of the game.

Meanwhile, Juventus came from three goals down, having lost the first leg 5-2 in Turkey, to force extra time against Galatasaray in Turin.

A Locatelli penalty in the first half followed by second half strikes from Gatti and McKennie after LLoyd Kelly was sent off for Juve, was enough to send the tie to extra time where Osimhen and Yilmaz scored to send Gala through to a meeting with either Liverpool or Spurs.

And in the early kick-off on Wednesday, Atalanta converted a penalty with the last kick of the game in the eighth minute of stoppage time following a video review to beat Borussia Dortmund 4-1 and secure a place in the round of 16 in the Champions League.

Lazar Samardzic’s spot kick clinched a dramatic 4-3 win on aggregate for Atalanta, ensuring there will still be Italian representation in Europe’s top club competition.

Extra time was looming when a mistake by Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel allowed Atalanta to launch one last attack, after the allotted three minutes of stoppage time had been played.

A cross into the area was about to reach the head of Nikola Krstovic when Dortmund defender Remy Bensabaini flicked out his boot and caught the Atalanta substitute on the head, drawing blood.

A corner was initially given but after a VAR check, a penalty was awarded, Bensabaini was shown a second yellow card, and Samardzic sent his penalty into the top corner, sparking joyous scenes inside the stadium in Bergamo.

Trailing 2-0 from the first leg, Atalanta replied through Gianluca Scamacca and Davide Zappacosta in the first half, before Mario Pašalić headed in the third in the 57th minute to put the hosts ahead on aggregate.

Karim Adeyemi came off the bench to make it 3-3 on aggregate but there was time for late drama, which sends Atalanta through to meet either Arsenal or Bayern Munich. The draw is on Friday