Real secure quarter-final berth

Angel Di Maria
12 April 2012

Real Madrid progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in seven years after convincingly seeing off Lyon to record a 4-1 aggregate victory.

The game was finely poised following a 1-1 draw in the first leg but Marcelo, Karim Benzema and Angel Di Maria struck the goals as Madrid put to bed their miserable record of having fallen at this same last-16 stage for six successive editions - including against Lyon last season.

The victory also means Madrid are a step closer to winning a record 10th European title, and keeps coach Jose Mourinho on course to conquer Europe with three different teams following his success with Porto and then Inter Milan last year.

Madrid started in frenetic fashion and Hugo Lloris did well to deny Mesut Ozil and Marcelo before Sami Khedira headed a corner against the post, although he was penalised for his challenge on the Lyon goalkeeper.

The home side were unable to continue that early dominance though, and Lyon gradually started to enjoy more possession and they gave Madrid a scare in the 21st minute when Cesar Delgado brought a diving parry out of Iker Casillas.

However, where Madrid's much-vaunted attackers were unable to find a way through, full-back Marcelo succeeded in the 37th minute to put Mourinho's men ahead.

The Brazil international charged forward from his left-back berth, played a one-two with Cristiano Ronaldo on the edge of the area, superbly cut inside sliding Lyon defender Dejan Lovren and thumped a shot past Lloris, who got a hand to the ball but could not keep it out.

Benzema then found the back of the net with a header but the former Lyon striker, who had netted eight times in his previous six games, saw his celebrations cut short by an offside flag.

Madrid continued to make most of the running in the second period and Benzema doubled their advantage when he latched on to Marcelo's long ball over the top before slotting through the legs of Lloris in the 65th minute.

Four minutes later, Ozil's header put Di Maria through and the Argentina winger coolly dinked his shot over Lloris to seal Madrid's 25th successive home win in all competitions and, more importantly, a berth in the last eight of the Champions League at long last.

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