Karim Benzema struck for Real Madrid on Wednesday, leading them to a 1-0 win over Liverpool and qualification for the Champions League quarter-finals with a 6-2 aggregate victory.
The match at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium saw Madrid take control of the game early on, keeping Liverpool at bay and almost doubling their lead had it not been for some impressive stops by Reds goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
After 78 minutes, Benzema got his goal, with Vinicius Junior feeding him an easy tap-in.
While Madrid were dominant throughout both legs of the tie, they were aided by injury woes hitting Liverpool’s lineup, leaving manager Jürgen Klopp with slim chances to pull off yet another dramatic European cup comeback like against Barcelona in 2019 or AC Milan in 2005 final.
Even after his side’s defeat, Klopp lauded Madrid’s performance but noted that there is still much work ahead for Ancelotti’s men as they strive to reach their sixth Champions League final in 10 seasons.
Meanwhile, Benzema has now scored seven times against Liverpool in the competition– more than any other player– showing just how important he will be for Madrid if they are to succeed in their quest for glory this season.
Article updated 2 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
