Champions League’s most successful team came back into the grove in style as two identical headers from Karim Benzema secured Real Madrid a berth in the Round of 16 of the competition with a 2-0 win over Borussia Moenchengladbach on Wednesday, AFP reported.

The record 13-time champions Madrid started the night in third place, at risk of failing to qualify from the group stage for the first time in their history and dropping into the Europa League. 

However, the Los Blancos delivered a resounding performance at the Alfredo di Stefano stadium, easing the pressure on coach Zinedine Zidane.

Madrid finished as group winners on 10 points, ahead of runners-up Gladbach on eight despite the defeat, as Shakhtar Donetsk and Inter Milan drew 0-0 in the other Group B clash to bow out of the competition.

“It was a good game for us,” Benzema told Movistar. “Each match is a final and I think that if we always play how we did today, no team can hurt us.

“This was a very difficult game, we started it well and with the desire to show that we are the best.”

Just nine minutes into the game, makeshift right-back Lucas Vazquez curled in a looping cross and Benzema rose the highest to head the ball home and break the deadlock.

Madrid kept an iron grip on the game until Gladbach forward Alassane Plea broke free but dinked wide of Thibaut Courtois’ goal.

The French international doubled the lead with a clone of his first strike, guiding home from Rodrygo’s sumptuous cross from the right in the 32nd minute.

Soon Madrid came close to adding a third from the same avenue, with Vazquez crossing for the evergreen Luka Modric, but Yann Sommer tipped his effort onto the post.

The Croatian midfielder, 35, lashed home shortly afterwards but the strike was ruled out for an offside call against Raphael Varane in the build-up. However, Modric kept orchestrating the Madrid midfield till the very end.

Madrid continued to dominate after the break, looking back to their best ahead of the weekend derby clash in La Liga with Atletico Madrid.

Sommer made a brilliant save to claw out a header from Madrid captain Sergio Ramos on his return from injury, with Benzema crashing the rebound against the crossbar.

Vazquez danced past the Gladbach defence to drill an effort against the near post as Zidane’s rampant side coasted to victory, allowing the coach some breathing room after a troubled start to the season.

President Florentino Perez was spotted in the tunnel before the game and his presence seemed to focus Madrid minds, as they put on their best performance of the season in their most important game so far.

Two defeats against Shakhtar Donetsk had left Madrid in a tight spot in the Champions League and their situation was compounded by disappointing losses against Cadiz, Valencia and Alaves in La Liga.

“The objective was to finish first and we did it,” a proud Zidane told Movistar. “We played a spectacular game today. I think it was our most complete of the season, from minute one to the end we did very well.

“I’ve been a footballer and football is like this, you can’t always play well, it’s impossible. Try to, yes, we will always try to. I’m happy for the players, they are the most important thing and I am here for them.”