Real Madrid meet Benfica in the second leg of their 2025-26 UEFA Champions League Knockout Play-Off tie.
Having claimed a narrow 1-0 aggregate lead through Vinicius Junior’s first-leg winner, victory or a draw would be enough for Real Madrid to advance.
Benfica meanwhile must win by a two-goal margin at minimum to stand any chance of progression, although victory by a single goal margin would level the tie on aggregate and result in extra time plus potentially penalties.
Team News
Raul Asencio is available for Real Madrid after he was suspended for the first leg of this tie.
Dean Huijsen is a doubt after he missed their La Liga win over Osasuna due to a muscle injury.
Rodrygo (suspension), Dani Ceballos (calf), Jude Bellingham (hamstring) and Eder Militao (tendon) remain absent.
Benfica will be without defender, Gianluca Prestianni after he was provisionally suspended by UEFA following accusation of racism by Real’s Vinicius Junior in the first leg.
Joao Veloso (shoulder) remains sidelined.
When is Kick-Off?
Real Madrid host Benfica at Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday 25 February at 9pm CET (8pm GMT), live on TNT Sports 1 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Real Madrid have won two of their five previous Champions League meetings against Benfica (W2, L3)
- Benfica lost 2-1 in their only previous Champions League visit to Real Madrid in March 1965 in the Quarter-Finals of that season’s edition, which coincidentally was the second leg as they won 6-3 on aggregate.
- Four of Kylian Mbappe’s 13 Champions League goals for Real Madrid this season were scored at home, as he netted twice against Marseille and Monaco respectively.
- Benfica conceded six goals without reply across three of their four away games in the League Phase (W1, L3), with their only goals in those four away matches having come in a 2-0 victory at Ajax in November 2025.
Prediction
With a Round of 16 spot now in their own hands, Real Madrid simply need to show the same dominance as they did in the first leg but be more clinical, and ideally scoring first here if possible will lift some pressure off them although a draw would be enough to advance if concede first and regroup.
Benfica meanwhile simply weren’t clinical whenever they had spells on top at home so they now need to knuckle down and try to get the opener, otherwise this could be a tough night for them especially with Prestianni suspended but the racism accusation could motivate them to try and get a revenge win.
I however do think that Real Madrid will prove just too strong at home but Benfica will undoubtedly give them a good test.
Prediction: Real Madrid 2-1 Benfica
Result: Real Madrid 2-1 Benfica (Real Madrid win 3-1 on aggregate)
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