Real Madrid took another step towards defending their Champions League crown with a professional 1-0 victory over Liverpool at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night. The Spanish giants secured their spot in the quarterfinals with an impressive 6-2 aggregate win over the English side.

Despite Liverpool's best efforts to mount a comeback, Real Madrid was simply too strong and clinical for them over the two legs. The first half was a tightly contested affair, with both teams creating good chances but unable to convert them. The second half was a different story, as Real Madrid took control of the game and started to dominate proceedings.

Federico Valverde and Karim Benzema both had chances to score for Real Madrid early on in the second half, but it was Benzema who eventually broke the deadlock in the 70th minute. The French striker pounced on a loose ball after Vinicius Junior's shot had been saved by Alisson and calmly slotted the ball into an empty net.

Liverpool tried to mount a comeback in the latter stages of the match, but they were unable to find a way past the Real Madrid defense. The result sees Real Madrid progress to the quarterfinals of the competition for the 12th time in the last 14 seasons.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti will be pleased with his team's performance as they look to defend their Champions League crown. The Spanish side has been in great form in the competition this season and will be confident heading into the next round.

For Liverpool, it was a disappointing end to their Champions League campaign. The Reds have struggled for consistency this season and were unable to match the quality of their opponents over the two legs.

Overall, it was a comfortable victory for Real Madrid, who proved that they are one of the favorites to win the competition once again this season.