The first match of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 took place in Lisbon, where "Benfica" suffered a narrow defeat at home to Madrid's "Real" with a score of 0:1.
The first half of the match passed without any clear dangerous moments: the home team, "Benfica," preferred to attack on counterattacks, while "Real" controlled the ball. One of the most dangerous moments was created by Fredrik Aursnes, who took a shot, but goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois saved the visiting team. Kylian Mbappe was actively involved in the attack for "Real," but his attempts did not hit the target in the first 45 minutes.
After the break, "Real" became more active. In the 50th minute, Mbappe made an excellent pass to Vinicius Junior, who struck the ball into the far corner of the goal, and this goal turned out to be the only one in the match.
The second half was memorable not only for the game moments but also for several scuffles. The game was interrupted due to conflicts at the corner flag when "Benfica" players demanded a penalty, but the referee did not change his decision. Additionally, Gianluca Prestiani received a yellow card for simulation.
Emotions flared up on the bench as well: in the 84th minute, "Benfica" coach Jose Mourinho was sent off for excessive arguing with the referee. At the end of the match, "Real" managed to maintain their advantage by skillfully controlling the game and returned from Lisbon with an important victory.
