Soccer–Real Madrid ease past Liverpool into Champions League quarters

Soccer Football - Champions League - Round of 16 - Second Leg - Real Madrid v Liverpool - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - March 15, 2023 Real Madrid's Karim Benzema in action with Liverpool's Cody Gakpo REUTERS/Juan Medina

MADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid cruised into the Champions League quarter-finals as Karim Benzema's second-half goal secured a comfortable 1-0 win over Liverpool in their last-16 second leg that wrapped up a 6-2 aggregate victory on Wednesday.

Bidding to win back-to-back Champions League titles and a record extending 15th European crown, a disciplined Real seemed content to sit back against a tame Liverpool who carried little threat for most of the game.