7M - Match Preview: Real Madrid vs Benfica

On February 25, 2026, Real Madrid will host Benfica at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu for the second leg of their Champions League knockout round playoff. Los Blancos carry a slim 1-0 advantage into this match, courtesy of Vinicius Junior's goal in the first leg.

The tension surrounding this encounter has escalated due to allegations of racially abusive comments directed at Vinicius by Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni, which led to a 10-minute stoppage during the first leg. UEFA is currently investigating the incident, bringing added scrutiny to this match.

Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa will be focusing on Vinicius's mindset ahead of the game, but he is expected to field the forward, who aims to continue his scoring streak. The team comes off a recent 2-1 defeat to Osasuna, indicating a need for improvement to progress in European competition.

Historically, Madrid has been strong against Portuguese opponents, winning five of their last six encounters. If they secure advancement, they would face either Sporting Lisbon or Manchester City in the next round.

Benfica, meanwhile, enjoyed a return to form with a 3-0 league victory last Saturday; however, head coach Jose Mourinho will be absent from the touchline after being sent off in the previous leg. Despite this setback, Benfica's squad remains in good shape, missing only Joao Veloso due to injury.

Real Madrid is expected to start Vinicius alongside Kylian Mbappe, supported by a midfield including Federico Valverde and Arda Guler. Benfica's lineup may see Dodi Lukebakio replacing Prestianni, who has been suspended.

Predicted Lineups:

Real Madrid: Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Asensio, Rudiger, Carreras; Valverde, Guler, Tchouameni; Mbappe, Vinicius.

Benfica: Trubin; Dedic, Araujo, Otamendi, Dahl; Rios, Aursnes; Lukebakio, Rafa, Schjelderup; Pavlidis.

Final Prediction: Real Madrid 2-1 Benfica (Madrid to win 3-1 on aggregate)

With their recent form and the added home advantage, Real Madrid is favored to navigate past Benfica and secure their spot in the last 16 of the tournament.