Real Madrid and Benfica Champions League fixture delivers real-time score, stream, goal alerts and fan reaction
Real Madrid’s quest for a place in the Champions League Round of 16 faces a severe test of squad depth as they prepare to host Benfica at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday evening, holding a precarious 1-0 lead from the first leg but grappling with an unprecedented injury crisis. Manager Álvaro Arbeloa, who took charge on 13 January 2026 following Xabi Alonso’s departure, must navigate the absence of up to six first-team players for this decisive playoff second leg.
Striking Power Diminished by Injuries
The most glaring absence is that of Kylian Mbappé, ruled out after aggravating a pre-existing issue with the ligaments on the outside of his left knee in training. The forward, who leads the Champions League scoring charts with 13 goals in just 7 matches this season and has 38 in 33 games across all competitions, has been playing through pain for weeks. Club medical staff have tentatively targeted a return in early March, potentially for the Celta Vigo match on 7 March, to have him ready for the next European round. His creative counterpart Jude Bellingham is also sidelined, with a muscle injury in his left thigh (semitendinosus) expected to keep him out until around the start of April, with a comeback against Mallorca on 5 April now viewed as likely.
The defensive and midfield ranks are equally depleted. Éder Militão, who underwent surgery for a complete ACL tear and meniscus damage in his right knee in November 2025, is recovering from a subsequent hamstring tear and is not expected back until March. Defender Dean Huijsen is out with a calf overload, an injury requiring two to three weeks of rehabilitation, while midfielder Dani Ceballos is facing approximately seven weeks out after suffering a muscle tear in his right leg following the Osasuna match. Compounding these injury woes, winger Rodrygo is suspended for this match after accumulating a two-match Champions League ban for abusive language towards a referee, though he also recently sustained a separate hamstring injury.
A Tie Overshadowed by Controversy
This playoff clash has been marred by off-pitch incidents that will influence the on-field personnel. Benfica will be without forward Gianluca Prestianni, who is suspended after UEFA rejected the club’s appeal against a provisional ban for alleged racial abuse directed at Real Madrid’s Vinícius Jr. during the fractious first leg in Lisbon. Prestianni denies the accusations. Vinícius Jr., who scored the solitary goal in that 1-0 victory, will be a focal point in Mbappé’s absence.
The suspension theme extends to the dugout, with Benfica coach José Mourinho banned from the touchline for the second leg. For Real Madrid, the buildup has been further clouded by a dip in domestic form, having relinquished top spot in La Liga after a 2-1 defeat to Osasuna in their most recent outing.
Álvaro Arbeloa, whose managerial tenure began officially on 12 January 2026 and who favours a 4-3-3 attacking formation, now faces the quintessential test of his fledgling reign. With a narrow aggregate lead to protect and a bench stretched thin, his tactical acumen will be under intense scrutiny at the Bernabéu, where kick-off is scheduled for 20:00 GMT on 25 February 2026. The match will be broadcast in the United Kingdom on TNT Sports 1, with coverage in the United States on Paramount+, TUDN, UniMás, ViX, and DirecTV Stream, in Canada on DAZN Canada and fuboTV Canada, and in Mexico on FOX One.
