Three weeks after a humbling 4-2 defeat in Lisbon, Real Madrid returned to the Estadio da Luz with a completely different approach and emerged with a 1-0 victory. Coach Álvaro Arbeloa's tactical adjustments were evident as Madrid controlled the game with a compact 4-4-2 formation, learning from their January loss that eliminated them from the Champions League top eight.

Vinicius Junior delivered the decisive moment with a stunning 50th-minute curler, his third goal in three appearances this month. The goal celebration was overshadowed by a 10-minute stoppage when Vinicius accused Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni of racist abuse, prompting UEFA's anti-racism protocol. The incident dominated post-match discussions, with teammate Kylian Mbappé stating Prestianni "did not deserve to play in the Champions League again."

Benfica had attempted to recreate their January magic with stadium theatrics and emotional videos, but Madrid's disciplined performance left no room for another miracle. José Mourinho, who masterminded the previous victory, was sent off for protesting a referee's decision and won't be on the bench for the return leg at the Bernabéu. The win gives Madrid a deserved advantage heading into next week's second leg, proving they've learned from their earlier mistakes.