In The Zone: Aurélien Tchouaméni strike shows Real Madrid's running menace
Friday, February 27, 2026
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UEFA Technical Observer Ole Gunnar Solskjær analyses how Real Madrid's willing runners helped them beat Benfica 2-1 in their Champions League knockout phase play-off second leg.
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The Santiago Bernabéu witnessed once more last night Real Madrid's ability to summon moments of attacking excellence to swing the closest of games their way.
As UEFA Technical Observer Ole Gunnar Solskjær affirmed after the 2-1 success against Benfica in the second leg of their knockout phase play-off tie: "It's part of their DNA of going through in these games. We've seen it so many times already that they always have high-quality players that can win a game in an instant."
As will be explored in the following analysis, brought to you by FedEx, it was not just Vinícius Júnior, with a goal in each leg, who made that difference. It was also Madrid's forward runs, one of which brought last night's equalising goal from Player of the Match Aurélien Tchouaméni.
Forward runs are the focus of the video analysis above which begins with a shooting opportunity for Arda Güler, which is the product of penetrative runs by Álvaro Carreras and Federico Valverde. Indeed, it is Valverde's strong surge, drawing Benfica's Andreas Schjelderup with him, that creates the space for Arda Güler.
Clip two shows Tchouaméni's goal, which followed his own supporting run from midfield. "He cuts the pass off when [Nicolás] Otamendi tries to play into midfield," said Solskjær. "He plays wide, he sees the space and he runs."
He is not the only man on the move. Valverde makes a breaking run following Tchouaméni's interception. Moreover, there is a crucial dart by striker Gonzalo to drag Benfica central midfielder Fredrik Aursnes away to open up the space that Tchouaméni exploits when arriving on the edge of the box for the cutback.
"When you play against teams like Real Madrid – technically good teams that don't have a big set of forwards – these cutback areas are so important."
"The coach asked me to push a bit higher and [said] that would help me score goals,” said Tchouaméni afterwards and here was the consequence, his first goal since last April.
Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa was delighted to see Tchouaméni getting forward to complement his other, less glamorous tasks in the midfield. "He is at a spectacular level," he told Movistar+ of Tchouaméni, selected as Player of the Match in the first leg too. "We spoke about whether he was capable of adding to that by getting forward and scoring goals. We hope it's the first of many."
A renowned striker who won six Premier League titles at Manchester United, and scored the winner in the 1998/99 UEFA Champions League final, Ole Gunnar Solskjær steered Molde to two league titles in his native Norway then reached the 2020/21 UEFA Europa League final as United boss.
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