Real Madrid flies once again to the quarter-finals of the Champions League: 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu against Liverpool in the return of the second round, the usual Karim Benzema (33rd goal in the knockout phase of the top European competition) gives another success to blancos after the 5-2 in the first leg at Anfield. And Carlo Ancelotti, at the end of the game, made an appointment for Milan: “I want him in the final in Istanbul”.
THE MATCH – Klopp wants to play even with just a 1% chance and sends a decidedly front-wheel drive formation onto the field with Salah, Jota and Gakpo supporting Nunez. Ancelotti does not want to lower the attention and lines up the very titular players, with Modric in midfield and Benzema leading the trident with Vinicius and Valverde. Nunez tries to scare Courtois, but the most dangerous chances come from Real: in the 14th minute Alisson is prodigious on Vinicius’ close range and six minutes later he is good at deflecting Camavinga’s broadside onto the crossbar. Two minutes later Modric’s right foot whizzed just above Alisson’s head. Courtois did not want to be outdone and in the 33rd minute he countered Nunez’s shot with a nice dive, as did Gakpo’s right footed shot in the 36th minute. We went to the locker room at 0-0, the second half started with no changes but with two chances for Real: Valverde headed but saved Alisson. Klopp changes, inside Firmino and Elliott for Nunez and Jota, but it is still Valverde who makes himself dangerous: in the 63rd minute the Uruguayan tries again with his head but sends just over the crossbar. Benzema did the same with his right foot in the 69th minute. Liverpool play another substitution with Oxlade-Chamberlain replacing Milner. In the 79th minute the curtain finally falls: ball on the edge of the area for Benzema, contrast with a defender and the rebound favors Vinicius who slides to the ground, from there he manages to anticipate Alisson on his way out and serves Benzema the more comfortable ball for the goal. On this occasion, the French bomber kept the fans in suspense, accusing a problem with his right leg which forced him to change (within Rodrygo, while Ceballos replaced Modric). Tsimikas denies Rodrygo a double in added time, complete with a VAR check for a possible touch with the arm. But that’s fine with Real Madrid: victory against Liverpool also in the second leg, Ancelotti flies to the quarter-finals of the Champions League and awaits Nyon’s urn.