Real Madrid and Benfica have confirmed their beginning groups for his or her assembly on the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu within the Champions League on Wednesday.
The 15-time European champions gained the primary leg of their knockout section play-off 1-0 away courtesy of Vinicius Jr’s strike, though the competition was overshadowed when the Brazil winger accused opposition participant Gianluca Prestianni of racially abusing him shortly after the purpose. The Argentine ahead denies the allegation.
The groups additionally met on the Estadio da Luz of their closing sport of the league section, when goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin despatched Benfica to the play-offs on purpose distinction with a header throughout second-half added time of their 4-2 victory.
101GreatGoals.com has the line-up information from Actual Madrid vs Benfica within the 2025/26 Champions League, in addition to particulars on find out how to watch.
Actual Madrid confirmed beginning lineup vs Benfica
Gonzalo Garcia replaces Kylian Mbappe in assault. He begins alongside Vinicius Jr.
Defenders Eder Militao and Dean Huijsen (muscle), midfielders Dani Ceballos (calf) and Jude Bellingham (hamstring), winger Rodrygo (tendonitis) and ahead Mbappe (knee) are out.
Actual Madrid beginning XI: Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Rudiger, Carreras; Valverde, Guler, Tchouameni, Camavinga; G Garcia, Vinicius Jr
Madrid substitutes: Lunin, Gonzalez, Carvajal, Alaba, F Garcia, Diaz, Mendy, Mastantuono, Cestero, Angel, Palacios, Thiago
Benfica confirmed crew vs Actual Madrid
Prestianni misses out after being given a one-game provisional ban by competitors organisers UEFA. Benfica’s enchantment was rejected this afternoon.
Midfielder Joao Veloso (shoulder) is injured.
Benfica beginning XI:
Benfica substitutes: To observe
The best way to watch Actual Madrid vs Benfica: TV channel, on-line stream
Benfica vs Actual Madrid kicks off at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT) on Wednesday. Within the UK, the match is being proven stay on TNT Sports activities 1, with streaming on an enormous number of gadgets out there by way of the Discovery Plus app.
To look at elsewhere on this planet, click on HERE to search out your native rights holder.
Actual Madrid vs Benfica stats
- Madrid are within the Champions League correct for the thirtieth time, a contest file they share with Barcelona. They’ve certified for the knockout rounds in all 30 campaigns
- They’ve gained 10 of their final 12 two-legged ties within the Champions League
- Defender Alvaro Carreras joined Madrid final summer season from Benfica, the place he made 68 appearances, scoring 5 targets, from January 2024
- With 13 targets in eight matches, Mbappe is the highest scorer on this season’s Champions League – already his highest tally for a single season
- All of these targets got here throughout the preliminary section, beating Cristiano Ronaldo’s file for many targets in a single group stage or league section of 11, set in 2015/16The first-leg defeat was Benfica’s sixth on this season’s competitors because the begin of the league section (W3)
- Throughout their league section assembly, Benfica defender Nicolas Otamendi grew to become the third Argentinian to achieve 100 appearances within the Champions League correct, after Lionel Messi (163) and Angel Di Maria (116)
- Visiting supervisor Jose Mourinho was Madrid coach from Might 2010 to June 2013, profitable the Copa del Rey in 2010/11 and La Liga the next season
- Benfica have misplaced their final 5 UEFA two-legged ties towards Spanish opposition, with their most up-to-date success towards Actual Betis within the 1982/83 UEFA Cup
- They’ve misplaced the second leg in solely two of their final 15 two-legged European ties (W8 D5)
- Eight of their earlier 11 two-legged ties have ended victoriously, however solely one of many final eight after shedding the primary leg at residence – their sole success got here towards Dinamo Bucharest within the first spherical of the 1999/2000 UEFA Cup (0–1 residence, 2–0 away)
When is the draw for the Champions League spherical of 16?
The draw for the Champions League spherical of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals takes place on Friday 27 February 2026 at 13:00 GMT (08:00 ET / 05:00 PT).
The ceremony will likely be streamed stay on UEFA.com, UEFA.television and the official Champions League app, with Madrid or Benfica dealing with Sporting or Manchester Metropolis in a two-legged tie beginning throughout the week of March 9.
Right here’s the total Champions League bracket.
Champions League knockout section play-off outcomes, fixtures
| Fixture (seeded crew vs unseeded) | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Combination |
| Newcastle vs Qarabağ | 6–1 | 3–2 | 9–3 |
| Atletico Madrid vs Membership Brugge | 3–3 | 4–1 | 7–4 |
| Inter Milan vs Bodo/Glimt | 1–3 | 1–2 | 2–5 |
| Bayer Leverkusen vs Olympiacos | 2–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 |
| Paris Saint-Germain vs Monaco | 3–2 | Feb 25 | |
| Juventus vs Galatasaray | 2–5 | Feb 25 | |
| Actual Madrid vs Benfica | 1–0 | Feb 25 | |
| Atalanta vs Borussia Dortmund | 0–2 | Feb 25 |
What’s subsequent for Actual Madrid and Benfica? Fixtures, schedule
Second to Barcelona by some extent in La Liga, Madrid host Getafe, who’re at present thirteenth, on Monday (20:00 GMT).
Regardless of being unbeaten after 23 matches within the Liga Portugal, third-placed Benfica are seven factors behind leaders Porto.
Mourinho’s aspect go to fifth-placed Gil Vicente on Monday (20:15).
