"Real Madrid clinched their place in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League after defeating Benfica 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night, securing a 3-1 aggregate win in a tie overshadowed by allegations of racism. Footage pre-match shows fans chanting as they arrive at the stadium amid a heightened police presence in the capital. Speaking after the victory, Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni said his teammates remained focused despite the controversy surrounding the first leg in Lisbon. "I think there are things more important than the match and football. And as we've said, Vinicius has remained confident and very focused on what he has to do. And now I think it's a victory for people who are against racism," said Tchouameni. The response comes after Madrid’s Vinicius Jr claimed he was racially abused by Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni during an on-field exchange after scoring the only goal at the Estadio da Luz. "He [Prestianni] told other players that he called him a ‘f*ggot.’ But Vini told us what happened. I think it was the best decision. He knows that this guy won't play in the match. As I said, there are more important things than football, and I think today is a victory for all of us," Tchouameni told reporters. Prestianni, who has denied the allegations against him, was handed a provisional one-game ban by UEFA and missed the second leg in Madrid. On the pitch, Benfica struck first on the night, but Madrid responded strongly. Vinicius once again found the net, scoring the hosts’ second goal in the 80th minute to seal a 2-1 comeback win and send the 15-time European champions through. “In the end, we won that match, which was the most important thing, and we have to keep working and doing things better. But we have a lot of confidence in our team, and we're going to do well this season," said Tchouameni. Vinicius celebrated his goal by dancing near the corner flag - repeating the same move that sparked tensions in the first match. Los Blancos will now face either Manchester City or Sporting CP in the next round, with the draw set to take place in Nyon on Friday."