Real Madrid vs Benfica: Confirmed starting lineups in Champions League with Kylian Mbappe injured

Real Madrid and Benfica have confirmed their starting teams for their meeting at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The 15-time European champions won the first leg of their knockout phase play-off 1-0 away courtesy of Vinicius Jr’s strike, although the contest was overshadowed when the Brazil winger accused opposition player Gianluca Prestianni of racially abusing him shortly after the goal. The Argentine forward denies the allegation.

The teams also met at the Estadio da Luz in their closing game of the league phase, when goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin sent Benfica to the play-offs on goal difference with a header during second-half added time in their 4-2 victory.

101GreatGoals.com has the line-up news from Real Madrid vs Benfica in the 2025/26 Champions League, as well as details on how to watch.

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Real Madrid confirmed starting lineup vs Benfica

Gonzalo Garcia replaces Kylian Mbappe in attack. He starts alongside Vinicius Jr.

Defenders Eder Militao and Dean Huijsen (muscle), midfielders Dani Ceballos (calf) and Jude Bellingham (hamstring), winger Rodrygo (tendonitis) and forward Mbappe (knee) are out.

Real Madrid starting 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 team vs Real Madrid

Prestianni misses out after being given a one-game provisional ban by competition organisers UEFA. Benfica’s appeal was rejected this afternoon.

Midfielder Joao Veloso (shoulder) is injured.

Benfica starting XI: Trubin; Dedic, Araujo, Otamendi, Dahl; Barreiro, Rios, Rafa Silva, Schjelderup, Aursnes; Pavlidis

Benfica substitutes: Soares, Ferreira, A Silva, Barrenechea, Bah, Ivanovic, Sudakov, Lukebakio, L Cabral, M Silva, Neto, A Cabral

How to watch Real Madrid vs Benfica: TV channel, online stream

Benfica vs Real Madrid kicks off at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT) on Wednesday. In the UK, the match is being shown live on TNT Sports 1, with streaming on a vast variety of devices available via the Discovery Plus app.

To watch elsewhere in the world, click HERE to find your local rights holder.

Real Madrid vs Benfica stats

• Madrid are in the Champions League proper for the 30th time, a competition record they share with Barcelona. They have qualified for the knockout rounds in all 30 campaigns
• They have won 10 of their last 12 two-legged ties in the Champions League
• Defender Alvaro Carreras joined Madrid last summer from Benfica, where he made 68 appearances, scoring five goals, from January 2024
• With 13 goals in eight matches, Mbappe is the top scorer in this season’s Champions League – already his highest tally for a single season
• All of those goals came during the initial phase, beating Cristiano Ronaldo’s record for most goals in a single group stage or league phase of 11, set in 2015/16The first-leg defeat was Benfica’s sixth in this season’s competition since the start of the league phase (W3)
• During their league phase meeting, Benfica defender Nicolas Otamendi became the third Argentinian to reach 100 appearances in the Champions League proper, after Lionel Messi (163) and Angel Di Maria (116)
• Visiting manager Jose Mourinho was Madrid coach from May 2010 to June 2013, winning the Copa del Rey in 2010/11 and La Liga the following season
• Benfica have lost their last five UEFA two-legged ties against Spanish opposition, with their most recent success against Real Betis in the 1982/83 UEFA Cup
• They have lost the second leg in only two of their last 15 two-legged European ties (W8 D5)
• Eight of their previous 11 two-legged ties have ended victoriously, but only one of the last eight after losing the first leg at home – their sole success came against Dinamo Bucharest in the first round of the 1999/2000 UEFA Cup (0–1 home, 2–0 away)

When is the draw for the Champions League round of 16?

The draw for the Champions League round 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 be streamed live on UEFA.com, UEFA.tv and the official Champions League app, with Madrid or Benfica facing Sporting or Manchester City in a two-legged tie starting during the week of March 9.

Here’s the full Champions League bracket.

Champions League knockout phase play-off results, fixtures

What’s next for Real Madrid and Benfica? Fixtures, schedule

Second to Barcelona by a point in La Liga, Madrid host Getafe, who are currently 13th, on Monday (20:00 GMT).

Despite being unbeaten after 23 matches in the Liga Portugal, third-placed Benfica are seven points behind leaders Porto.

Mourinho’s side visit fifth-placed Gil Vicente on Monday (20:15).