<p>Karim Benzema struck for Real Madrid to clinch a 1-0 win over Liverpool and qualification for the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday 6-2 on aggregate.</p>.<p>After the wild last 16 first leg clash at Anfield in February left Madrid sitting pretty with a three-goal advantage, Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp said his side only had a one percent chance of turning the tie around.</p>.<p>They stemmed the bleeding at the Santiago Bernabeu but never looked like mounting a stirring comeback of the type they managed against Barcelona in 2019, or AC Milan in the 2005 final.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/haaland-hits-five-to-ease-man-city-into-champions-league-quarters-1200279.html" target="_blank">Haaland hits five to ease Man City into Champions League quarters</a></strong></p>.<p>Madrid have now knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League in three consecutive seasons, including beating them in last year's final.</p>.<p>"It was a complicated game but from the start we showed we wanted to go through, and we are in the quarter-finals," Benzema told Movistar.</p>.<p>"Suffering is part of today's football. Everyone wants more, but sometimes you have to suffer in a game -- the most important thing is to win and go through."</p>.<p>The 14-time record winners showed the nous to keep Liverpool at arm's length, with defenders Eder Militao and Antonio Rudiger determined to shut out the visitors, along with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.</p>.<p>Reigning champions Madrid could have significantly stretched their lead, save for a series of superb stops by Liverpool stopper Alisson Becker and some unusually profligate finishing.</p>.<p>In the first leg, Madrid were lethal, with Vinicius Junior and Benzema netting twice each -- neither were as decisive.</p>.<p>Yet eventually they combined for Madrid's winner after 78 minutes, with Vinicius slipping as he tried to shoot, but hooking the ball into Benzema's path for a simple tap-in.</p>.<p>Madrid's only worry was seeing their captain limp off after his goal amid an injury-hit season -- Benzema said it was only a blow on the shin and Carlo Ancelotti confirmed he would be fit to face Barcelona in the Clasico on Sunday.</p>.<p>"Madrid were in control of the whole game, Ali had to make two sensational saves to keep us in the game," Klopp told reporters.</p>.<p>"Madrid were outstanding and that's why the better team went through to the next round."</p>.<p>Liverpool, deeply inconsistent in this campaign, took heart from their 7-0 thrashing of Manchester United in the Premier League, but could not produce the same magic under the Bernabeu lights.</p>.<p>Klopp started with Diogo Jota alongside his usual attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo, deploying as much firepower as he could to try and mount a comeback.</p>.<p>The first chance of the game fell to Nunez but Courtois thwarted the Uruguayan, who was fed by Salah.</p>.<p>At the other end Madrid sliced open Liverpool on various occasions, and Alisson made a stunning save to deny Vinicius from point-blank range.</p>.<p>Eduardo Camavinga crashed a long-range effort against the crossbar, with Alisson getting his fingertips to it.</p>.<p>The Brazilian goalkeeper made further saves from Vinicius, Fede Valverde and Benzema as Madrid controlled the game.</p>.<p>Camavinga impressed in midfield and eventually helped create Benzema's goal, with a driven pass forward in the build-up.</p>.<p>"I told him a few small details, like how I know that the two Liverpool centre-backs play open, there's space in the middle, and that's how we scored the goal," added Benzema.</p>.<p>The striker has now scored seven times in the Champions League against Liverpool, more than any other player.</p>.<p>Benzema is key to Madrid's bid to lift the trophy for a sixth time in 10 seasons, if he can stay fit.</p>.<p>Madrid played classic Liverpool anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone" at the end of the game, at once a classy touch but also showing Liverpool never made them truly uncomfortable.</p>.<p>Ancelotti said Madrid were full of belief after their remarkable run to the final last season.</p>.<p>"We have a lot more confidence, because of what happened last year, it gave us a lot of confidence," said the Italian.</p>.<p>"We saw that in this tie, against a strong team, we did well in the two games.</p>.<p>"But later, with confidence alone, we don't reach the semi-finals. We have to play surprising football ... as always, the Champions League is very complicated and we have to compete until the end."</p>
<p>Karim Benzema struck for Real Madrid to clinch a 1-0 win over Liverpool and qualification for the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday 6-2 on aggregate.</p>.<p>After the wild last 16 first leg clash at Anfield in February left Madrid sitting pretty with a three-goal advantage, Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp said his side only had a one percent chance of turning the tie around.</p>.<p>They stemmed the bleeding at the Santiago Bernabeu but never looked like mounting a stirring comeback of the type they managed against Barcelona in 2019, or AC Milan in the 2005 final.</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/haaland-hits-five-to-ease-man-city-into-champions-league-quarters-1200279.html" target="_blank">Haaland hits five to ease Man City into Champions League quarters</a></strong></p>.<p>Madrid have now knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League in three consecutive seasons, including beating them in last year's final.</p>.<p>"It was a complicated game but from the start we showed we wanted to go through, and we are in the quarter-finals," Benzema told Movistar.</p>.<p>"Suffering is part of today's football. Everyone wants more, but sometimes you have to suffer in a game -- the most important thing is to win and go through."</p>.<p>The 14-time record winners showed the nous to keep Liverpool at arm's length, with defenders Eder Militao and Antonio Rudiger determined to shut out the visitors, along with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.</p>.<p>Reigning champions Madrid could have significantly stretched their lead, save for a series of superb stops by Liverpool stopper Alisson Becker and some unusually profligate finishing.</p>.<p>In the first leg, Madrid were lethal, with Vinicius Junior and Benzema netting twice each -- neither were as decisive.</p>.<p>Yet eventually they combined for Madrid's winner after 78 minutes, with Vinicius slipping as he tried to shoot, but hooking the ball into Benzema's path for a simple tap-in.</p>.<p>Madrid's only worry was seeing their captain limp off after his goal amid an injury-hit season -- Benzema said it was only a blow on the shin and Carlo Ancelotti confirmed he would be fit to face Barcelona in the Clasico on Sunday.</p>.<p>"Madrid were in control of the whole game, Ali had to make two sensational saves to keep us in the game," Klopp told reporters.</p>.<p>"Madrid were outstanding and that's why the better team went through to the next round."</p>.<p>Liverpool, deeply inconsistent in this campaign, took heart from their 7-0 thrashing of Manchester United in the Premier League, but could not produce the same magic under the Bernabeu lights.</p>.<p>Klopp started with Diogo Jota alongside his usual attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo, deploying as much firepower as he could to try and mount a comeback.</p>.<p>The first chance of the game fell to Nunez but Courtois thwarted the Uruguayan, who was fed by Salah.</p>.<p>At the other end Madrid sliced open Liverpool on various occasions, and Alisson made a stunning save to deny Vinicius from point-blank range.</p>.<p>Eduardo Camavinga crashed a long-range effort against the crossbar, with Alisson getting his fingertips to it.</p>.<p>The Brazilian goalkeeper made further saves from Vinicius, Fede Valverde and Benzema as Madrid controlled the game.</p>.<p>Camavinga impressed in midfield and eventually helped create Benzema's goal, with a driven pass forward in the build-up.</p>.<p>"I told him a few small details, like how I know that the two Liverpool centre-backs play open, there's space in the middle, and that's how we scored the goal," added Benzema.</p>.<p>The striker has now scored seven times in the Champions League against Liverpool, more than any other player.</p>.<p>Benzema is key to Madrid's bid to lift the trophy for a sixth time in 10 seasons, if he can stay fit.</p>.<p>Madrid played classic Liverpool anthem "You'll Never Walk Alone" at the end of the game, at once a classy touch but also showing Liverpool never made them truly uncomfortable.</p>.<p>Ancelotti said Madrid were full of belief after their remarkable run to the final last season.</p>.<p>"We have a lot more confidence, because of what happened last year, it gave us a lot of confidence," said the Italian.</p>.<p>"We saw that in this tie, against a strong team, we did well in the two games.</p>.<p>"But later, with confidence alone, we don't reach the semi-finals. We have to play surprising football ... as always, the Champions League is very complicated and we have to compete until the end."</p>