Real Madrid vs Benfica Prediction, Lineups, Injuries, and Team News

The new format of the Champions League brings forth second-leg matchups for its qualifying stages for the knockout round. Naturally, most teams are geared up to secure their spots in the playoffs, giving rise to some exhilarating football.

Amongst these matchups is the head-to-head between Real Madrid and Benfica, two giants who have already played a major role in increasing Champions League viewer ratings by a significant margin. Real Madrid vs Benfica Prediction is a herculean task in itself, due to the excessive passion of this game eroding the defined variables that usually govern the outcome of a match.

Due to the previous rendition of this fixture being overshadowed by controversies concerning prolific figures like Jose Mourinho and Vinicius Jr., there is an increased impetus for the teams to let their football do the talking this time. While spectators too would be eager to witness a semblance of free-flowing, goal-galore football, these outfits displayed in their penultimate meeting in the group stage.

Real Madrid vs Benfica Match Info

Match Name: Real Madrid vs Benfica, Champions League Playoffs

Stadium Name: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

Kick-Off time: Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 08:00 PM GMT

Real Madrid Team News

Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa has displayed a strong front in the press conference, emphasising the importance of both the 1-0 lead and the home support. Despite the controversy regarding Vinicius, the manager backed his stance, reiterating the prolific nature of the Brazilian forward.

Madrid, however, would be forced to replace one of the best strikers, Kylian Mbappe, who is sidelined due to a knee injury. The Madrid staff considers this game to be of utmost importance to ensure qualification in the round of 16; in keeping with this pressure to perform, a more pragmatic approach by the new manager is expected.

Real Madrid vs Benfica Predicted Lineups show that despite injuries, Madrid retain the quality of holding out and even increasing the score on their home turf.

Real Madrid Predicted Lineup (4-4-2):

Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Raúl Asencio, Antonio Rüdiger, Álvaro Carreras

Midfielders: Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Güler, Federico Valverde

Forwards: Gonzalo García, Vinícius Júnior

Benfica Team News

Jose Mourinho, Benfica's manager, has defiantly stood behind the Argentine, Gianluca Prestianni, amidst serious allegations of racism and subsequent suspension during the course of the investigation. The former Real Madrid coach cited a loophole in UEFA regulations to avoid appearing for the press conference, which his assistant coach, João Tralhão, later confirmed was to avoid any more controversies and protect his players.

Benfica president Rui Costa presented a sceptical stance when asked about the possibility of a miraculous comeback on Madrid soil. Though he was also quick to point out the fickle nature of football, with Benfica ultimately having all to play for at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Benfica Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1):

Goalkeeper: Anatoliy Trubin

Defenders: Amar Dedic, Tomás Araújo, Nicolás Otamendi, Samuel Dahl

Midfielders: Leandro Barreiro, Enzo Barrenechea, Rafa, Andreas Schjelderup, Fredrik Aursnes

Forwards: Vangelis Pavlidis

Head Coach: José Mourinho

Real Madrid vs Benfica Injuries

Real Madrid and Benfica return for the second leg, fired up in the light of the exploits of their previous history in this very tournament, from Trubin's tremendous last-minute headed goal to Real Madrid walking out after on-field altercations in the first leg.

There has been a lot of noise surrounding this match, which is natural considering the big names involved. Real Madrid, though maintain the lead, but they are simultaneously dealing with an injury crisis, with important players such as Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe sidelined.

The former, with 2 goals and 1 assist in 7 UCL outings, and the latter, being their top scorer in La Liga with 23 goals and 4 assists, whilst also maintaining an impressive UCL tally of 13 goals and 1 assist, will be sore misses for the manager.

Benfica, on the other hand travel with a relatively healthy squad but an equally heavy heart following the allegations of racial abuse on their Argentine teammate Gianluca Prestianni. The starting 11 for Benfica remains relatively unharmed, with Prestianni considered more as a spark off the bench.

Sportsdunia’s Real Madrid vs Benfica Prediction

Real Madrid and Benfica are historical European rivals, with Benfica edging out Madrid by 3 wins to their 2 in their previous 5 matchups. However, Real Madrid vs Benfica prediction cannot be ascertained merely based on a head-to-head score, as the Kings of the Champions League lock horns with the team of the Chosen One.

However, statistics suggest that Real Madrid have an impenetrable record in home knockout games, whilst Jose Mourinho has had an abysmal showing in his last 9 Champions League knockout games, winning none of them.

One of the best football clubs, Real Madrid, certainly boasts a more well-rounded squad even after significant injuries, with their opponents currently even struggling in the Portuguese League, occupying only the third position in the domestic table. There is no doubt, though, that emotions will be running high on both sides after the pre-match theatrics, which will certainly make for an interesting watch for the spectators.

Sportsdunia's Predicted score: Real Madrid 2-0 Benfica