Champions League: Real Madrid 3 Lyon 0

Real Madrid eased their way into the Champions League quarter-finals with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Lyon at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.

Real, who held a narrow advantage on away goals after the opening leg in France ended 1-1, always looked in control at home and gave up few chances while creating plenty of their own.

Portuguese ace Cristiano Ronaldo was back in Jose Mourinho’s 11 after recovering from a hamstring injury, lasting 73 minutes and playing a hand in Marcelo’s opening goal.

French striker Karim Benzema put the tie beyond doubt after the hour, and Angel Di Maria added another for good measure as Real clinched the tie with a 4-1 overall aggregate.

The result gives Real a boost of confidence as they head back to La Liga to face city rivals Atletico on Saturday.

The hosts were creating trouble for Lyon from the outset and needed just five minutes to come close to an opener through Sami Khedira, whose header from their first set-piece struck the left post.

Goalkeeper Iker Casillas produced a fine diving save to redirect Cesar Delgado’s swipe from range beyond the right post – one of Lyon’s few real opportunities in the first half – while at the other end Lyon custodian Hugo Lloris did well to punch Ronaldo’s flat attempt over the bar.

But a Real goal seemed inevitable given their complete dominance, and it came in the 37th minute after some terrific by-play between Marcelo and Ronaldo.

The Brazilian left-back bullied his way to the edge of the area on a one-two with Ronaldo, cut inside a sliding Dejan Lovren and chipped his shot beyond Lloris to lift the Bernabeu to full voice.

Benzema, who had found the net eight times in his past six matches, started to press for a goal of his own in the shadows of half-time.

He found his way past Lloris with a header on 42 minutes, though it was rightfully disallowed for offside, and three minutes later Lloris produced an acrobatic leap to tip the Frenchman’s finish over the bar.

But there was still time aplenty for the former Lyon man, whose 66th-minute goal owed much to a terrific ball by Marcelo.

The Brazilian’s deep through pass cut Lyon’s defence open, allowing Benzema to go one out with Lloris in the area and slide in an easy finish.

With the tie all but sealed Lyon’s heads bowed, allowing Mesut Ozil to get away a deft flick-on for Di Maria to race through and place his shot under the bar on 76 minutes.