Benfica vs Real Madrid Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2025-26 UEFA Champions League | League Phase
by Alex Lawes ·
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It is yet another Jose Mourinho derby as Benfica welcome Real Madrid to Estadio da Luz in Lisbon with Benfica desperately needing to win and hope results go their way.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / US – Paramount+
Benfica preview: Need a win
After beginning their UEFA Champions League league phase campaign with a surprise loss at home to Qarabag, Benfica decided to replace Bruno Lage with Jose Mourinho and they have given themselves a slight chance of securing a top 24 spot.
The Portuguese giants have suffered five defeats in seven matches in Europe but back-to-back wins in the late autumn and early winter means Benfica do sit just two points outside of the top 24 and the knockout playoff spots.
Real Madrid preview: Arbeloa’s Madrid
Having replaced Xabi Alonso with Alvaro Arbeloa earlier this month, in the aftermath of Los Blancos’ defeat to Barcelona in the Supercopa de Espana, Real Madrid began their new era with a shock 3-2 defeat to Albacete in the Copa del Rey.
Since then, though, the 15-time European champions have since eased themselves to comfortable victories against Levante and Villarreal in La Liga, either side of a 6-1 demolition of Monaco at the Bernabeu in Europe last week.
Benfica team news: Still no Lukebakio
Benfica have a couple of key injury absentees for this one, such as versatile defender Alexander Bah and summer signing Dodi Lukebakio, who joined from Sevilla.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Trubin; Dedic, Araujo, Otamendi, Dahl; Barreiro, Aursnes; Prestianni, Sudakov, Schjelderup; Pavlidis
Unavailable: Bah (Injured), Cabral (Ineligible), Rios (Injured), Veloso (Injured), Lukebakio (Injured), R. Silva (Ineligible)
Questionable: Wynder (Injured), Soares (Injured)
Real Madrid team news: Defensive injuries
Madrid have plenty of injury issues for this with Antonio Rudiger, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ferland Mendy sidelined, while Eder Militao is a doubt for Los Blancos.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Huijsen, Carreras; Bellingham, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius
Unavailable: Militao (Injured)
Questionable: Rudiger (Injured), Alexander-Arnold (Injured), Mendy (Injured)
Benfica vs Real Madrid prediction
Benfica managed to hammer Estrela da Amadora by four goals to nil in Liga Portugal at the weekend. That means that, despite sitting third in the table domestically, they have gone unbeaten throughout this campaign. They face a Madrid side that will believe have turned a bit of a corner of late but, with the need to win, their home advantage and ability to at least avoid defeat, siding with the hosts would appear the way to go for this one.
Benfica vs Real Madrid Tip: Double chance – Benfica to win or draw
