Real Madrid will host Benfica at the Santiago Bernabéu on 24th Feb for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League knockout round playoff.
Los Blancos head into the decisive clash with a narrow advantage after securing a 1-0 win in the first leg, courtesy of a decisive strike from Vinícius Júnior last week.
In this article, we bring the Real Madrid vs Benfica match preview, analysis and prediction along with the best football betting sites.
Real Madrid vs Benfica Match Details
Competition: UEFA Champions League 2025-26
Matchday: Playoffs Leg 2
Date: Tuesday, 24 February 2026 / Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Kick-off: 8:00 PM GMT / 1:30 AM IST
Venue: San Siro, Milan
Real Madrid vs Benfica Match Preview
The first leg finished 1-0 to Real Madrid, with Vinícius Júnior scoring early in the second half. The match was marred by controversy after Vinícius accused Gianluca Prestianni of racial abuse, leading to a 10-minute stoppage. UEFA is investigating.
Head coach Álvaro Arbeloa is expected to start Vinícius despite the fallout. Madrid, however, come in after a 2-1 league loss to Osasuna and must improve to progress.
If they advance, a last-16 tie against Sporting CP or Manchester City awaits.
Benfica beat AFS 3-0 at the weekend, but manager José Mourinho is suspended. Despite leading the overall head-to-head, Benfica have struggled against Spanish sides, with just two wins in 14 away games in Spain.
Madrid have progressed in 22 of their last 23 European ties after winning the first leg.
Real Madrid vs Benfica Team News
Real Madrid will be without Jude Bellingham, Dani Ceballos and Éder Militão due to injury. Dean Huijsen remains a doubt, while Rodrygo is suspended.
For Benfica, João Veloso is the only injury concern, and Gianluca Prestianni is suspended.
Real Madrid vs Benfica Predicted Lineups
Real Madrid Predicted Lineup
Thibaut Courtois, Alvaro Carreras, Raul Ascensio, Antonio Rudiger, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, Federico Valverde, Arder Guler, Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe.
Benfica Predicted Lineup
Anatoliy Trubin, Tomas Araujo, Antonio Silva, Nicolas Otamendi, Samuel Dahl, Leandro Barreiro, Enzo Barrenechea, Richard Rios, Georgiy Sudakov, Andreas Schjelderup, Vangelis Pavlidis.
Real Madrid vs Benfica Betting Odds (1X2 – 1xBet)
Real Madrid win: 1.49
Draw: 5.07
Benfica win: 6.79
Real Madrid are strong favourites for winning this match against Benfica.
Real Madrid vs Benfica Recommended Bets (TBP)
Both Teams to Score – YES @ 1.63
Under 3.5 Total Goals @ 1.75
Real Madrid vs Benfica Match Prediction
Benfica faced a daunting task on Wednesday night, and it was difficult for the Portuguese side to overturn the deficit.
Real Madrid may not be at their fluent best, but Los Blancos are expected to have enough quality and experience to book their place in the Champions League last-16.
Final Prediction: Real Madrid 2–1 Benfica
Find out here the 1000 Rs signup bonus sites
Need quick and seamless transactions for live betting? Check out our list on Top UPI Betting Sites —perfect for instant deposits and easy withdrawals.
Disclaimer: Bet responsibly. Make sure to read all terms and conditions before placing your bets.
