Benfica v Real Madrid

Mourinho will want to spoil the party for his old team Madrid with another victory. With 2 legs to play this might be a cagey affair. Can “The Special One” do it again?

Benfica v Real Madrid – Estadio da Luz 21:00 CET

Team News:

Benfica are without Alexander Bah and Richard Rios.  Fredrik Aursnes is a doubt but may make it.

Real Madrid are without Rodyrgo and Asencio with suspensions. They are without Bellingham and Eder Militao with injuries. Mbappe was rested in last match against Sociedad and is fit for this one, however it must be noted he is not 100%

---

Formations:

4-2-3-1 for Benfica who will look to replicate their performance in the last match. They will hope to keep it tight, press and counter. Mourinho will have the players worked up for sure.

4-4-2 is likely for Madrid without Bellingham.  Mbappe and Vini up front with more control in the midfield. Arbeloa will want less attacking opportunities gifted to Benfica.

Statistics:

Referee: Francois Letexier (FRA) (Average cards 4.01 Yellow 0.19 Red)

---

Match Preview:

Benfica required a dramatic injury‑time goal from goalkeeper Trubin to secure qualification in the final knockout spot. After a poor start, they recovered with three wins in their last four matches and now come into this tie on a five‑game unbeaten run across all competitions.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, missed automatic qualification by just one point. Their defeat to Benfica proved costly, dropping them into the playoffs. That result has been the only setback in Arbeloa’s otherwise excellent recent form, with six wins from his last seven matches taking his side to the top of La Liga.

Betting Preview:

The previous meeting between these sides was chaotic, featuring six goals, eight yellow cards, and two reds, with Real Madrid in particular losing their composure. A repeat of that wild encounter seems unlikely, as both teams had adopted an all‑out‑attack approach in their push for qualification. This time around, backing Real Madrid to win at favourable odds looks the smarter play.