Real Madrid have issues in midfield ahead of their Champions League knockout phase play-off decider against Benfica.
Los Blancos host their Portuguese opponents - who dramatically beat them 4-2 on the final day of league phase action - at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night holding a narrow 1-0 advantage in their quest to reach the last 16 of Europe’s elite club competition, where they would face either Manchester City or Sporting.
Vinicius Jr netted an early second-half winner in last week’s controversial first-leg tie in Lisbon, in which the Brazilian accused Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni of racist abuse.
Prestianni denies the accusations and was handed a provisional suspension by UEFA on Monday, meaning he cannot play in the second leg.
Madrid followed up their initial victory over Benfica with a shock 2-1 loss away at Osasuna, which saw them relinquish top spot in LaLiga to Barcelona after their arch-rivals brushed aside Levante 24 hours later.
To make matters worse for Madrid, Dani Ceballos suffered an injury after coming on as a late replacement for Arda Guler at the Estadio El Sadar and was subsequently diagnosed with calf trouble that will see him unavailable to face Benfica.
Head coach Alvaro Arbeloa, who could name talented youngsters Manuel Angel and Thiago Pitarch in his squad, was already without the services of Jude Bellingham, who is reportedly expected back in April after injuring his hamstring in the last-gasp win over Rayo Vallecano earlier this month.
The same is also believed to be true of centre-back Eder Militao, who has not played since early December after tearing his hamstring against Celta Vigo.
Madrid’s only other known injury absentee at present is Militao’s fellow defender Dean Huijsen, who won’t return against Benfica due to a calf problem after missing the trip to Osasuna but is expected to be fit for next Monday night’s visit of Getafe in LaLiga.
Arbeloa also again won’t be able to call upon the services of key forward Rodrygo, who completes a two-match Champions League suspension handed down after being sent off in the league phase match against Benfica last month, in which goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a last-minute goal in wild scenes at the Estadio da Luz.
Predicted Real Madrid XI: Courtois, Alexander-Arnold, Rudiger, Asencio, Carreras, Valverde, Tchouameni, Camavinga, Guler, Vinicius Jr, Mbappe
Injured: Bellingham, Huijsen, Ceballos, Militao
Suspended: Rodrygo
Time and date: 8pm GMT on Wednesday February 25, 2026
Venue: Bernabeu, Madrid
