Jose Mourinho broke Real Madrid's six-year Champions League jinx when his side crushed Olympique Lyon 3-0 on Wednesday to advance to the quarter-finals for the first time since 2004.
Marcelo, Karim Benzema and Angel Di Maria scored the goals at a packed and rowdy Bernabeu to put the record nine-times winners through 4-1 on aggregate.
Real's smooth passage into the last eight at the expense of the team that knocked them out last season will be seen as a personal triumph for their outspoken Portuguese coach and is his first meaningful contribution to the club since joining from Inter Milan.
Mourinho was hired after leading Inter to a treble of Italian league and cup and Champions League last term as Real's big-spending president Florentino Perez seeks the elusive "decima", a 10th title in Europe's elite club competition.
"I don't want to make a huge deal out of this match and this qualification," Mourinho said at a news conference.
"Real Madrid is too big a club not to be in the quarters," the former Chelsea manager added.
"We are on the right track, the titles will come, if not this season then next.
"I just work, I do my best. I feel comfortable, I feel happy and I think the players feel it," he added.
Real Madrid's Di Maria celebrates after scoring against Lyon during their Champions League match
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