October 03, (THEWILL) – Benfica delivered a commanding performance to defeat Atletico Madrid 4-0 in their UEFA Champions League fixture on Wednesday evening, marking their second consecutive victory in the competition this season.
The Portuguese side dominated proceedings at the Estadio da Luz, with Kerem Aturkoglu opening the scoring in the 13th minute following excellent pressing from Fredrik Aursnes. Angel Di Maria doubled the advantage from the penalty spot early in the second half, continuing his impressive form against his former rivals from his Real Madrid days.
Diego Simeone’s tactical changes at the interval, including the introductions of Alexander Sorloth and Conor Gallagher, failed to alter the match’s trajectory. The Spanish side’s defensive frailties were further exposed when Alexander Bah added a third goal with a header from a corner in the 75th minute before Orkun Kokcu converted another penalty to complete the comprehensive victory.
Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Jan Oblak, facing his former club, admitted post-match that it represented their poorest display of the season. The Spanish side’s away form in European competition continues to cause concern, with just one victory in their previous 10 UCL matches on the road.
The result positions Benfica strongly in their group, while Atletico Madrid must regroup before their next European fixture at the Metropolitano stadium against Lille, who themselves recorded a notable victory over Real Madrid. Benfica will welcome Feyenoord in their next UCL encounter.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
