Real Madrid advanced to the Champions League quarter-finals thanks to Vinicius Junior’s clinical finish, a level of precision that RB Leipzig failed to match, resulting in a 2-1 aggregate victory in the last 16.
Similar to the first leg, RB Leipzig paid the price for squandering numerous scoring opportunities, as Vinicius capitalized on Jude Bellingham’s pass with 25 minutes remaining to secure a 2-0 lead.
Leipzig finally converted a chance three minutes later, courtesy of skipper Willi Orban’s header flick.
This goal injected renewed confidence into the Bundesliga side, prompting them to persistently challenge the Spanish La Liga leaders in pursuit of an equalizer.
Former Barcelona prospect Dani Olmo came closest to forcing extra time – as away goals no longer hold weight in UEFA competitions – when his looping header grazed the top of the crossbar in injury time.
However, Real Madrid, eyeing a record-extending 15th European title, successfully withstood Leipzig’s onslaught to secure passage to the quarter-finals for the 12th time in the last 14 seasons.
Carlo Ancelotti’s squad will discover their quarter-final opponents during the draw on Friday, March 15th at 11:00 GMT.