Real Madrid 3-1 Atalanta (4-1 agg): Gift helps Los Blancos ease through
Atalanta gave away a silly goal and it was easy after that
Real Madrid made it through to the Champions League quarter finals, having failed to progress from the round of 16 in the past two seasons.
They did so with a comfortable win over Atalanta, with goals from Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos and Marco Asensio, with Luis Muriel pulling one back for the Italians.
Atalanta should have gone ahead early on, but Robin Gosens shot at Thibaut Courtois tamely from close range.
They were on top for much of the opening 45 minutes and yet the breakthrough happened at the other end.
It owed to a horrendous pass by Marco Sportiello, the Atalanta goalkeeper, who passed the ball straight to Luka Modric.
The Croatian, 35 years young, set up Benzema to net his 70th goal in the Champions League, the fifth player to accomplish such a feat.
After that, it was easy for Los Blancos. Vinicius Junior should have scored and then was hacked down for a penalty by Toloi, with Ramos firing home from the spot.
Muriel threatened to make it in treating with a free-kick which escaped even the impressive Courtois, but Asensio, on as a sub, immediately restored their advantage.
Madrid may be Spain’s last representatives in the competition, with Barca and Sevilla out, while Atletico are 1-0 down against Chelsea with the second leg on Wednesday.
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