Champions League last-16 second leg: Real Madrid beat Atalanta to reach quarters

March 16, 2021 Real Madrid's Lucas Vazquez in action with Atalanta's Berat Djimsiti [REUTERS]

Real Madrid easily overcame Atalanta 3-1 at home in their Champions League last-16 second leg on Wednesday to stroll into the quarter-finals 4-1 on aggregate.

Karim Benzema scored a sixth goal in five games to put the 13-times European champions in charge after 34 minutes while captain Sergio Ramos converted a penalty on the hour mark.

The Italian side managed to get one goal back thanks to a free kick from Luis Muriel in the 83rd but any hope they had of completing a comeback was quickly dashed a minute later by a low strike from Real substitute Marco Asensio.

Real, who were knocked out in the last 16 by Manchester City last term and Ajax Amsterdam the season before, reached the last eight for the first time since 2018. They will be the only Spanish side left in the competition unless Atletico Madrid overturn a 1-0 deficit at Chelsea on Wednesday.