It was Benzema that saved the day after his late goal agaisnt boyhood club of fellow team mate; Christiano Ronaldo, made sure that Real Madrid have a spot in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League.
On Cristiano Ronaldo's return to his former club, Raphael Varane gave Zinedine Zidane's side the lead in the 29th minute and Sporting's task became even harder when full-back Joao Pereira was sent off after appearing to strike Mateo Kovacic in the stomach.
However, Jorge Jesus' side got back in it thanks to Andrien Silva's 79th-minute penalty after Fabio Coentrao handled in the area.
Sporting had their tails up after the equaliser with on-loan Arsenal star Joel Campbell providing the threat for the hosts, but Real, who lost Gareth Bale to injury in the second-half, grabbed the winner through Karim Benzema three minutes from time to book their place in the knockout stages and eliminate the hosts.
Gareth Bale went off injured for Real
Real's next fixture in Group F is against Borussia Dortmund, who beat Legia Warsaw 8-4 in the highest scoring Champions League of all time, and the winner will finish top for the group. Sporting take on Legia Warsaw with a place in the Europa League on the line.
Knowing only a win would keep alive their chances of qualifying for the last 16, Sporting made a fast start with Silva almost getting away from Sergio Ramos in the third minute, but the Spaniard made an excellent tackle just as he was about to get a shot away.
Ronaldo, keen to put on a show at his former club, had an early sight of goal but his weak effort was easily saved by Rui Patricio before Bale almost released the Portugal international with a diagonal through ball.
Cristiano Ronaldo failed to score on his return to Sporting
Real were starting to find their rhythm and Bale again was causing the hosts problems but his cross was turned behind by Ruben Semedo with Ronaldo poised at the far post.
At the other end, Gelson Martins almost picked out Bas Dost at the far post but the Dutch striker could not get a toe to his team-mate's inviting cross.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the 29th minute and Ronaldo was involved not once, but twice.
The former Sporting star drew a foul from Semedo before poking the resultant free-kick into the path of Varane, who beat the offside trap to finish powerfully.
Raphael Varane (right) celebrates opening the scoring
Despite ferocious appeals from the home side, the goal stood and they could have been level three minutes later when Bruno Cesar's shot was headed away from goal by Ramos.
Cesar went close again just before the break after Marcelo brought down Gelson Martins just outside the penalty area. The midfielder's sweetly struck free-kick had Keylor Navas scrambling but the ball flashed wide of the near post to leave Real leading at the break.
In the 58th minute, having earlier needed treatment on what looked like an ankle problem, Bale was replaced by Marco Asensio.
Bale gets treatment on an ankle injury
Sporting were reduced to 10 men in the 64th minute following the dismissal of Pereira when the defender appeared to punch Kovacic in the stomach as the duo squared up on the far touchline, leaving Scottish referee Willie Collum little option but to show a red card.
The Portuguese side, though, were gifted a way back into the match with 11 minutes left.
Real substitute Fabio Coentrao was punished for a handball just inside the box - the defender appearing to still be appealing for the same offence against Joel Campbell - and Silva made no mistake from the penalty spot.
Sporting had suddenly found new life and pressed for a winner, as Campbell sent a header over at the far post.
But it was Real who sealed all three points after 87 minutes when substitute Benzema nodded in to book the defending champions' passage into the knockout stages
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