Following the thrilling encounter in which Galatasaray faced Juventus on Tuesday (17th), there were three additional matches scheduled for the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 playoffs.
One of the highlights was the highly anticipated clash between Benfica and Real Madrid, rekindling memories of Trubin’s historic goal.
However, the match was overshadowed by an alleged incident of racism directed at Vini Jr.
In addition, the reigning French champions went up against Monaco while Dortmund played Atalanta.
Below is a recap of the matches.
🇫🇷 Monaco 2 – 3 PSG 🇫🇷
The excitement in the Principality was palpable right from the first half.
Capitalizing on a lackluster PSG performance, Monaco surged ahead with two goals from Balogun (2′ and 18′).
Vitinha had a chance to narrow the gap with a penalty, but Köhn made a great save.
PSG managed to respond before halftime, with Doué—who had just entered the pitch—and Hakimi scoring off a rebound from Doué’s shot.
Monaco found themselves in a bind early in the second half when Golovin’s tackle on Vitinha led to a red card after VAR intervention.
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PSG completed the comeback with Doué’s goal in the 67th minute.
They pushed hard for a fourth goal but settled for a solid victory.
🇩🇪 Dortmund 2 – 0 Atalanta 🇮🇹
The match was delayed by 15 minutes due to the late arrival of the BVB delegation at Signal Iduna Park.
Dortmund took an early lead just three minutes in with another assist from Ryerson to Guirassy.
Atalanta, despite feeling the initial shock, sought to respond, albeit without significant chances.
BVB struck again in the first half with a sharp counterattack, leading to Beier’s goal assisted by Guirassy (44′).
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In the second half, Atalanta tried to claw back but failed, while BVB maintained control of the game and celebrated a comfortable advantage.
📸 INA FASSBENDER – AFP or licensors
🇵🇹 Benfica 0 – 1 Real Madrid 🇪🇸
This marked the first time Real Madrid secured an away victory against Benfica in the UCL.
Aursnes had a significant early chance that required Courtois’ intervention.
As the game progressed, Real Madrid improved their performance, compelling Trubin to make at least two important saves.
Arbeloa’s squad dominated the first half against a Benfica side struggling without possession.
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Real Madrid broke the deadlock just five minutes into the second half.
Vini Jr. scored a stunning goal after outmaneuvering Dedic and finding the left corner of the net.
He celebrated with a brief “samba” dance in front of a corner flag, which led to a yellow card for perceived disrespect.
This celebration sparked discontent among Benfica’s players, leading fans to throw various objects at Vini Jr.
Subsequently, Vini Jr. reported being subjected to racist insults.
The anti-racism protocol was activated, resulting in a brief pause for dialogue between Vini and Mourinho before the match resumed about ten minutes later.
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Benfica attempted to increase the pressure but failed to find the equalizer. Real Madrid heads to Santiago Bernabeu with an advantage.
The four return legs of these matches are scheduled for next Wednesday (25th).
Looking Ahead 📅
Wednesday – February 18
2:45 PM – 🇦🇿 Qarabag vs. Newcastle 🏴
5:00 PM – 🇧🇪 Brugge vs. Atlético de Madrid 🇪🇸
5:00 PM – 🇳🇴 Bodø/Glimt vs. Inter Milan 🇮🇹
5:00 PM – 🇬🇷 Olympiacos vs. Bayer Leverkusen 🇩🇪
Return matches will take place on Tuesday (24th).
This article has been translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.