Less than three weeks after the two sides faced off in the league phase, Benfica and Real Madrid are set to clash in the first leg of the Champions League knockout phase playoffs on Tuesday evening.
What was projected to be a rather comfortable victory for Los Blancos turned into a nightmare at the Estádio da Luz back in January. Álvaro Arbeloa’s men lost 4–2, finished with nine men and saw their guaranteed place in the last 16 slip through their fingers.
Now, Real Madrid must fight to keep their Champions League campaign alive in the knockout phase playoffs against an opponent emboldened by their recent triumph over the 15-time European champions. Benfica boss José Mourinho called his former club “wounded” in the build-up to the all-important clash, already starting the mind games before the opening whistle sounds.
The Portuguese manager will hope his squad can repeat their shock victory come Tuesday and extend their unbeaten run to six games. Los Blancos, though, will feel much more confident this time around thanks to the return of a few key players.
Here is Sports Illustrated’s guide to the Champions League clash.
What Time Does Benfica vs. Real Madrid Kick Off?
- Location: Lisbon, Portugal
- Stadium: Estádio da Luz
- Date: Tuesday, Feb. 17
- Kick-off Time: 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. GMT
Benfica vs. Real Madrid Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
- Benfica: 3 wins
- Real Madrid: 1 win
- Draws: 0
Current Form (All Competitions)
| Benfica (WWDWW) | Real Madrid (WWWLW) |
|---|---|
| Santa Clara 1–2 Benfica | Real Madrid 4–1 Real Sociedad |
| Benfica 2–1 Alverca | Valencia 0–2 Real Madrid |
| Tondela 0–0 Benfica | Real Madrid 2–1 Rayo Vallecano |
| Benfica 4–2 Real Madrid | Benfica 4–2 Real Madrid |
| Benfica 4–0 Estrela da Amadora | Villarreal 0–2 Real Madrid |
How to Watch Benfica vs. Real Madrid on TV, Live Stream
| Country | TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
| United States | Paramount+, UniMas, TUDN |
| United Kingdom | Amazon Prime Video |
| Canada | DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada |
| Mexico | TNT Sports, Max Mexico, TNT Go |
Benfica Team News
A once injury-ridden Benfica side is slowly getting back to full strength. Alexander Bah and Richard Ríos both returned to training last week after extended spells on the sidelines, though neither player is expected to feature against Real Madrid.
Samuel Soares and Joao Veloso are also close to returning from their muscle and shoulder injuries respectively, but likely not in time to help their team on Tuesday.
There is no doubt surrounding Fredrik Aursnes’s status; the midfielder is nursing a muscle injury and therefore ruled out of the clash. Expect Enzo Barrenechea to take his place alongside Leandro Barreiro. Up top, Mourinho is likely to deploy an unchanged attack, led by Vangelis Pavlidis, from the team’s previous meeting with Los Blancos.
Benfica Predicted Lineup vs. Real Madrid
Benfica predicted lineup vs. Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Trubin; Dedić, T.Araújo, Otamendi, Dahl; Barreiro, Barrenechea; Prestianni, Sudakov, Schjelderup; Pavlidis.
Real Madrid Team News
Much like the first leg, Arbeloa still won’t be able to call on his best defender Éder Militão, who remains in the infirmary with a torn hamstring. The good news for the Spanish boss is Trent Alexander-Arnold and Antonio Rüdiger are back from injury and ready to bolster his backline.
Jude Bellingham remains out with a hamstring injury of his own. Real Madrid will also be without the suspended Raúl Asencio and Rodrygo, who were both sent off in the team’s final league phase match. The Brazilian was a doubt to feature anyway due to injury.
Kylian Mbappé, meanwhile, sat out at the weekend with a knee problem and faces a late fitness test for the team’s battle with Benfica. Barring a massive setback, though, the Frenchman will start even if he is not 100% fit, given the nature of the game.
Real Madrid Predicted Lineup vs. Benfica
Real Madrid predicted lineup vs. Benfica (4-4-2): Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Rüdiger, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Güler, Tchouaméni, Camavinga; Mbappé, Vinicius Junior.
Benfica vs. Real Madrid Score Prediction
If the last meeting between these two sides showed anything, it’s that Benfica have the firepower to get on the scoresheet against Real Madrid. Another four-goal performance might be a bit ambitious, though, given their opponents’ boosted backline and recent form.
Arbeloa’s men are coming off a sensational victory over Real Sociedad, looking like a team more than capable of avenging their only defeat in their last seven matches, especially with Mbappé returning to the fold. As long as Los Blancos minimize their mistakes this time around, they will do enough to obtain the advantage for the second leg at the Bernabéu.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Benfica vs. Real Madrid: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.
