UCL: Benzema, Ramos help Real Madrid reach last eight

Real Madrid cruised into the quarterfinals of the Champions League with a 3-1 win over Atalanta at the Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium on Tuesday night.

The Italian visitors played some tidy football but never really threatened to overturn Real’s 1-0 lead from the first leg, with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois barely tested until late on.

😍 NEXT ROUND HERE WE COME!#UCL pic.twitter.com/qPaYOWJgwS

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) March 16, 2021

It took Madrid some time to get going themselves, but the opener was handed to them on a plate after 34 minutes when Atalanta goalkeeper Marco Sportiello passed a clearance straight to Luka Modric, who exploited the space brilliantly to tee up Karim Benzema.

Atalanta brought on an extra forward at the break, but it was Real who looked the more dangerous at the start of the second half, with Vinicius Jr going close to a magnificent solo goal, only for the finish to slide agonisingly wide.

And it was Vinicius again who was involved in Real’s second, with the Brazilian winning possession in midfield and bursting into the box, where he was brought down just inside the area by his compatriot Rafael Toloi.

Sergio Ramos dispatched the opportunity from the spot to make it 2-0 on the night, effectively ending Atalanta’s hopes of a comeback.

🏁 FT: @realmadriden 3-1 @Atalanta_BC (agg. 4-1)
⚽ @Benzema 34', @SergioRamos 60' (p), @marcoasensio10 84'; Muriel 83'#UCL | #Emirates pic.twitter.com/ezGxdAgANd

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) March 16, 2021

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Luis Muriel’s excellent free-kick on 83 minutes was too little too late for the visitors, and substitute Asensio made sure it was little more than a consolation by restoring the three-goal advantage just moments later on the counter-attack.

Real Madrid will discover their quarterfinal opponents on Friday when the draw is held at UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, while Atalanta’s defeat leaves Lazio as the only Italian side left in the competition