Real Madrid will be without winger Rodrygo and midfield maestro Jude Bellingham when they take on Benfica in the first leg of the Champions League knockout phase playoffs.
The 15-time European champions must fight for their place in the last 16 after dropping from third to ninth in the league phase standings at the eleventh hour. A shock 4–2 loss to Benfica doomed Los Blancos to the knockout phase playoffs, where they will once again face off with José Mourinho’s men.
Álvaro Arbeloa will be delighted to have Trent Alexander-Arnold and Antonio Rüdiger back for the all-important clash in Lisbon on Tuesday evening. The two defenders, who were injured for the team’s last outing at the Estádio da Luz, give Real Madrid’s backline a much-needed boost.
Los Blancos’ midfield and attack, though, are missing two key faces for the Champions League bout: Bellingham and Rodrygo.
Why Rodrygo Is Not Playing Against Benfica
Rodrygo is suspended for Tuesday’s clash against Benfica after seeing red in Real Madrid’s final league phase match against the Portuguese outfit. The Brazilian received two yellow cards in quick succession for dissent and was sent packing in stoppage time.
The red card earned Rodrygo a two-game suspension for abusive language, ruling him out of both legs against Benfica in the Champions League knockout phase playoffs. Raúl Asencio was also sent off at the Estádio da Luz back in January, but he escaped with just a one-match ban, forcing him to stay behind in Madrid as well.
Even if Rodrygo had not received his marching orders in his last Champions League appearance, the forward likely would not have featured in the first leg against Benfica anyway. The 25-year-old is nursing a minor hamstring injury that has kept him out of action since Feb. 1.
Without Rodrygo available, Arbeloa will instead rely on a front two of Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappé to carry Los Blancos’ goalscoring load.
Why Jude Bellingham Is Not Playing Against Benfica
Speaking of hamstring injuries, Bellingham is also stuck in the infirmary with a semitendinosus muscle injury in his left leg. The England international limped off the pitch in tears back on Feb. 1 and new reports suggest he is expected to miss up to eight weeks for Real Madrid.
The blow leaves Arbeloa without arguably his most clutch player for the biggest game of Los Blancos’ season so far. Bellingham has a way of producing a moment of magic out of nothing, with either his vision in the final third or his instinctual ability to crash the box and bury a timely goal.
The pressure will be on Arda Güler to replace the England international not just against Benfica, but in the weeks to come. The 20-year-old is in line to start every game for Real Madrid as long as Bellingham remains on the sidelines.
Güler does not have the finesse or defensive skill set of his teammate, but he does have a sensational connection with Mbappé, as well as pinpoint set piece deliveries. The Spanish giants will need both to take center stage on Tuesday if they want to leave Lisbon with an advantage in the tie.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Rodrygo, Jude Bellingham Aren’t Playing for Real Madrid vs. Benfica.
