Player Ratings: Benfica 0–۱ Real Madrid

Player Ratings: Benfica 0–۱ Real Madrid

Champions League Knockouts — First Leg

Real Madrid left Lisbon with a narrow but valuable 1–۰ victory, built on defensive authority, midfield control, and a moment of brilliance from Vinícius Jr. It wasn’t a perfect performance — far from it — but it was mature, combative, and ultimately decisive.

Here are the player ratings.

Made three saves on the night, and one of them was world-class. His stop on Fredrik Aursnes preserved the clean sheet. Calm, commanding, and reliable when called upon.

Trent Alexander-Arnold — ۷.۵

Progressive and creative down the right flank. Played several beautiful vertical passes and delivered a tremendous ball into the box for Kylian Mbappé that deserved an assist. Offered attacking thrust without sacrificing too much defensively.

A vintage Rüdiger performance. Leadership, tenacity, aggression — he took no prisoners. Finished with nine clearances and imposed himself physically on every duel. This was big-game Rüdiger.

A worthy center-back partner to Rüdiger. Also recorded nine clearances and showed composure. His distribution and ball-carrying helped Real Madrid maintain control in possession and break Benfica’s first line of defense.

Another reliable two-way display. Strong in duels, comfortable on the ball, and far more assured than in his previous outing against Benfica. Combined particularly well with Camavinga and provided stability on the left.

Aurélien Tchouaméni — ۸

Apart from one early defensive lapse, he was masterful. Dominant in ball-winning situations, excellent in counter-pressing sequences, and intelligent in screening the back line. Controlled the defensive midfield zone with authority.

Covered ground relentlessly. Strong defensive tracking, sharp ball progression, and constant vertical energy. As always, his engine elevated Madrid’s overall intensity.

A game-high six tackles and constant dynamism between the lines. His ball-carrying relieved pressure and sparked transitions, while his off-ball movement helped stretch Benfica’s midfield structure. A highly influential performance.

Unlucky not to leave with a goal or assist. Operated intelligently in the right half-space, linking play and adding creativity in tight areas. Continues to grow into his role and looked dangerous throughout.

A golazo. The decisive moment of the match. He bullied Benfica’s defense, attacked relentlessly, and delivered when Madrid needed him most. Doing so while facing racist abuse and disgusting behavior from sections of the crowd only underlines his mental strength. A crucial game-winner in every sense.

An off night. Found good positions and had clear opportunities, but lacked sharpness in the final action. Had he converted one of his chances, Real Madrid would be taking a far more comfortable lead back to the Bernabéu.

Brahim Díaz, Thiago Pitarch, Dani Carvajal — N/A