Real Sociedad eliminates Benfica in 20 minutes and sets foot in the round of 16

Real Sociedad has become unattainable in Europe. Nothing hinders his flight, neither the weight of the Champions League stars nor the name of the rivals, whom he ruthlessly disarms before they can put him in trouble.. The people from San Sebastian do not walk like rookies, rather they show a nerve that in LaLiga, in the big events, has not been able to make a profit but that emerges in Europe. Like a steamroller, they overwhelmed Benfica in just 20 minutes to be able to get into a round of 16 that they had not reached for 20 years.. [Narrative and statistics]

Its effectiveness was extraordinary before the Portuguese could react. They tried, but when the game was overturned and overheated by a group of fans who dedicated themselves to creating a disturbance by throwing flares at the Reale Arena stands.

With three accurate shots they stunned the Portuguese champion, blurring a quarter-finalist team from the last Champions League.. Real likes explosive exits. Before the 10th minute, the duels against Inter, Salzburg and the visit to the Estadio da Luz were put into perspective.. Six minutes into an essential duel for the Portuguese team, Mikel Merino finished off a ball from Aihen in a play that was born from a corner and catalyzed by Kubo. Without recovering from the first blow, the second came five minutes later. The intensity of the pressure caused the error of Florentino, who, harassed when the ball was released, sought to lean behind Otamendi without appreciating that it was Oyarzabal who would benefit from his assistance to score the second.

The gale had broken. They annulled another goal from Merino because his shot, rebounded by goalkeeper Trubin, grazed his hand, but the cut to Neves and the right hand with Barrenetxea's seal was incontestable.. Benfica did not know how to stop a team that even hit the post with a penalty. Otamendi hunted Oyarzabal, but the shot was from Brais Méndez, who sought to be the first Spanish player to score in four consecutive games in the Champions League.

The Portuguese were grateful to arrive at half-time without any more weight in their backpack and reacted in the second half, which began with a goal from Rafa Silva. They poured into Remiro's goal, with more momentum than head while part of their fans threw flares onto the field.

Le Normand complains about the firing of flares. AFP

They had already been involved in altercations near the stadium and only managed to stun their own players.. Just with a long shot from Otamendi they tested the San Sebastian goalkeeper. La Real had understood the message and closed a match with which they made history.