Benfica 5-1 Club Brugge (agg: 7-1): Eagles power into Champions League quarter-finals

Benfica sealed a UEFA Champions League quarter-final appearance for the second season running with a comprehensive 5-1 victory in the second leg of their round of 16 tie against Club Brugge.

Match in brief: Benfica put on convincing showing

Just as in the first leg, Club Brugge had an opportunity to take the lead in the opening minutes, but visiting skipper Hans Vanaken could only guide his header wide from Casper Nielsen's inviting delivery.

João Mário struck for a fifth successive gameGetty Images

Benfica cranked up the pressure and were eventually rewarded with two fine goals in the space of seven minutes just before the break. Rafa Silva applied a clever finish to Gonçalo Ramos' centre from the left, before the 21-year-old got in on the act himself. Some fine footwork helped him dance past two defenders before he guided a shot past Simon Mignolet.

The Eagles' leading scorer this term took just over ten minutes after the restart to grab another, turning Alejandro Grimaldo's low cross into the net with a powerful finish.

João Mário, who had a second-minute strike ruled out for offside, seized the opportunity to get on the scoresheet for a fifth successive UEFA Champions League outing from the penalty spot. He coolly sent Mignolet the wrong way after Benfica substitute Gilberto had been brought down by Abakar Sylla.

The hosts kept up their intensity and netted again shortly afterwards when replacements João Neves and David Neres combined, the Brazilian international slotting a low strike into the far corner from the left of the area.

Scott Parker's men did get the final goal of the night, Bjorn Meijer curling in a consolation with just three minutes remaining.

PlayStation® Player of the Match: Rafa Silva (Benfica)

"He only scored one goal but it was an important one which broke the deadlock. He was very effective in Benfica's overall attacking play, controlling the pace very well, and was incredibly important in their combination play."
UEFA Technical Observer panel

Carlos Machado, Benfica reporter

The 2-0 win in Belgium paved the way for Benfica, who put in another positive performance in Lisbon. Dominant from the beginning, they broke the deadlock close to the break through Rafa Silva. A Gonçalo Ramos double settled the contest and confirmed that Benfica were clearly the better side in this tie.

Alyssa Saliou, Club Brugge reporter

Club Brugge tried but their hopes were dashed in the first half as Rafa Silva and Gonçalo Ramos scored two great goals. After half-time Blauw-Zwart still could not get a foothold as the Benfica goals kept coming and only five minutes before the end did they take their foot off the pedal. Meijer found the net brilliantly to restore some honour for the away side.

Reaction 

Rafa Silva, Benfica forward and Player of the Match to UEFA.com: "We showed from the beginning we wanted to win. Despite having a two-goal cushion, we approached the game with that aim and we did it. We have dreamed from the very start of this campaign and will keep on doing it until the end."

Gonçalo Ramos, Benfica striker, speaking to Eleven Sports: "It seemed easy but it was nothing like that. We worked to the limit, we played our game and, with the quality of our football, we made the task easier. We had a lot of respect for Brugge and we are already focused on the next round. To score? It's always good, a striker like me makes a living from that, but the most important thing was that we won and played well."

Roger Schmidt, Benfica coach to Eleven Sports: "I'm very proud of the team. The situation was good for us after the victory in Belgium, but we respected this game. It was a Champions League match and all opponents have quality. We showed today that we are a great team and that we weren't there to defend the 2-0 lead, but to win. We deserve to be in the quarter-finals."

Scott Parker, Club Brugge head coach: "It's a humbling defeat and a disappointing result. Benfica were clinical, their technical quality extremely high. In this moment it's a bitter pill to swallow. The team did incredible things to get this far. For me it's been challenging, but the players have been brilliant and wanting to do everything they can to turn this around."

Hans Vanaken, Club Brugge midfielder: "The result hit us hard. We tried to come here to do something and show something. We really hoped to score the first goal and my header just didn't go in. Offensively it was not enough, we didn't get the match under control. The way in which it was done was painful too, because we conceded the goals too easily. I am emotional because we played a great campaign and a historic [round of 16 qualification]. Then you don't want to go out like that."

Key stats

• Benfica recorded their biggest UEFA Champions League home win; they had won 3-0 three times.
• The Eagles have reached successive European Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1968/69.
• Rafa Silva now has four goals in as many appearances in this season's UEFA Champions League.
• Gonçalo Ramos (aged 21 years 260 days) became the youngest Portuguese player to score twice in a UEFA Champions League knockout match.
• João Mário is the first Benfica player to score in five successive European Cup appearances since Eusébio between May 1963 and September 1964.

João Mario converts a fifth penalty of this campaignGetty Images

Fantasy star performers

Gonçalo Ramos – 13
João Mário – 11
Rafa Silva – 9

Line-ups

Benfica: Vlachodimos; Bah (Gilberto 63), António Silva (Lucas Verissimo 88), Otamendi (Morato 74), Grimaldo; Florentino, Chiquinho (Neres 63); João Mário (João Neves 74), Rafa Silva, Aursnes; Gonçalo Ramos

Club Brugge: Mignolet; Mata (Odoi 62), Mechele, Sylla; Buchanan, Nielsen, Vanaken (Rits 74), Sowah (Nusa 75), Meijer; Lang (Onyedika 46), Yaremchuk (Jutglà 62)