Mumbai, February 19: Takumi Minamino's first-half goal against Benfica made the Monaco winger the highest-scoring Japanese player in the Champions League. The 30-year-old Minamino fired a low shot from inside the box in the 22nd minute for the visitors in a second-leg 3-3 playoffs draw that saw Benfica advance to the round of 16 on a 4-3 aggregate score. UCL 2024–25 Results: Feyenoord Knocks AC Milan out of UEFA Champions League; Bayern Munich Advances on Late Alphonso Davies Goal Against Celtic FC.

That was Minamino's fifth career Champions League goal — moving him one ahead of both Shinji Kagawa and Daizen Maeda as the Japanese player with the most goals in Europe's elite club competition (group stage onwards), according to UEFA. Tuesday's strike was Minamino's third Champions League goal this season after scoring twice in a 5-1 win over Red Star Belgrade in the league phase. Real Madrid Team News: Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba Join Training Ahead of UEFA Champions League 2024-25 Match Against Manchester City, Lucas Vasquez Out With Injury.

He scored two in the 2019-20 campaign for the Red Bull Salzburg — against Liverpool and Genk in the group stage. Minamino joined Liverpool in January 2020 before transferring to Monaco in the summer of 2022.

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