Real Madrid ease past Liverpool into Champions League quarters

Real Madrid cruised into the Champions League quarter-finals as Karim Benzema's second-half goal secured a comfortable 1-0 win over Liverpool in their last-16 second leg that wrapped up a 6-2 aggregate victory on Wednesday.

Bidding to win back-to-back Champions League titles and a record extending 15th European crown, a disciplined Real seemed content to sit back against a tame Liverpool who carried little threat for most of the game.

Real spurned several opportunities to open the scoring as they looked to exploit Vinicius Jr's speed on the counter-attack but could not break the deadlock until late in the second half.

They ensured victory on the night in the 79th minute when Vinicius flicked a loose ball inside the area to Benzema who tapped it into the empty net.