Benfica were the more effective side in the early goings and were dangerously direct on the break. Rafa Silva gave them a thoroughly deserved 1-0 lead after 15 minutes when he turned home from close range following a tidy save from Thibaut Courtois.
But Madrid responded almost immediately, Aurelien Tchouameni firing into the bottom corner after a tidy cutback from Federico Valverde. Los Blancos thought they had a second when Arda Guler bundled over the line, but VAR determined that there was an offside in the build up. The visitors stuck around, though, twice calling Courtois into action before the break.
And the home side took control in the second half. Benfica's opportunities were few and far between, while Madrid threatened in transition. They grabbed an ultimately deserved second on the night, Vinicius Jr scampering through on goal before finishing coolly - and dancing by the corner flag. And by the end of it all, Vinicius dancing, in front of a crowd that clapped along, was the defining image of the night.
GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from the Santiago Bernabeu...
