Rodrygo thankful for Ancelotti support as Real Madrid ease into Champions League last 16

The 14-time winners advance to knockout stages after easing past Braga with their fourth straight victory

Rodrygo celebrates scoring Real Madrid's third goal against Braga in their Champions League group match. AFP

Carlo Ancelotti said Real Madrid showed their Champions League pedigree by easing through to the last 16 with two matches to spare following Wednesday's comfortable 3-0 win over Braga.

Brahim Diaz, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo were on target for the 14-time European champions, who sealed progress from Group C even without rested top goalscorer Jude Bellingham.

Brazilian wingers Vinicius and Rodrygo have been criticised for their lack of goals this season and both responded with classy finishes to help send their team through after Diaz opened the scoring.

Madrid have four wins from four games, leading the group on 12 points ahead of Napoli, second on seven after a 1-1 draw with bottom team Union Berlin.

Madrid have now reached the knockout phase in 26 consecutive editions of the tournament.

"It tells me that Real Madrid have done better than others in this competition because getting through the group is not always that simple," Madrid manager Ancelotti said.

"We are very happy to reach the last 16, but it doesn't mean we're going to switch off in the last two games because for us, all Champions League games are there to show our best level in."

Madrid goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga suffered an injury in the warm-up, with Andriy Lunin stepping in to replace him. The Ukrainian was immediately called into action, diving to his right to palm away Alvaro Djalo's penalty in the sixth minute.

At the other end, Diaz had a goal ruled out for a foul by Vinicius, but the former Manchester City midfielder did not have to wait too long to open the scoring.

Sent through on the left side of the area, Rodrygo cut the ball back to Diaz who fired into the roof of the net from close range to break the deadlock.

The 24-year-old forward broke out into sarcastic celebration, drawing a VAR screen as if to dare the officials to try and disallow this strike.

Diaz, operating in Bellingham's usual attacking midfield role, did well on a rare start and was involved in most of Madrid's forward moves.

Bellingham, who has netted 13 times in 14 games since his summer switch, watched on from the bench as Ancelotti let him recover from a shoulder problem he suffered in the draw with Rayo Vallecano last weekend.

"I'm doing my thing and showing that I can perform, and help the coach," Diaz said. "There are very good players here but I'm showing that I can handle more minutes. Bit by bit, everything comes."

Vinicius netted the second before the hour mark, with some clever movement and footwork in the box and then a smooth low finish.

It was his fourth goal of the season across all competitions in 12 games, low by his own standards, but Ancelotti has predicted he and Rodrygo will outscore Bellingham by the end of the campaign.

Rodrygo netted Madrid's third with an exquisite chipped finish after his compatriot Vinicius played him in, and embraced Ancelotti on the sideline in celebration.

The coach had advocated patience for his dynamic duo up front and both paid him back with goals that delighted the Santiago Bernabeu.

"[The hug] was to thank him," Rodrygo said. "We have to judge people when we're not in a good moment, then you see who they really are.

"I wasn't in a good moment, the coach was always with me, always supporting me, saying good things. I was obliged to score and to go and thank him."