Benfica defender Ezequiel Garay has declared that preparation was the key to his side's victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League.

The Portuguese side battled to a 2-2 draw in the second leg of the last-16 tie to progress 5-3 on aggregate, but Garay was quick to admit that it was a hard-fought win.

"It was a very physical game but fortunately we were able to secure a passage into the next stage of the Europa League," he told reporters.

"We knew what awaited us was a hard game but we showed that we were prepared for any eventuality."

The draw for the quarter-finals of the competition takes place on Friday.