Real Madrid, the most successful team in the UEFA Champions League with 15 titles, will look to complete a double over Benfica to enter the round of 16 of this season, at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Wednesday.
Madrid holds a 1-0 lead over Benfica from the first leg in Lisbon last week, in a match which was disrupted by alleged racial abuse aimed at Los Blancos winger Vinicius Junior.
But its key striker, Kylian Mbappe, the club’s top scorer this season, was not available for selection for the Champions League fixture.
Why is Mbappe not playing in Real Madrid vs Benfica?
Mbappe had been playing through knee pain over the past few weeks and hence, is not playing at the Santiago Bernabeu.
His coach, Alvaro Arbeloa, said earlier on Tuesday that the player was “prepared to play” in the second leg and that he “valued his commitment” in playing through pain, but it was later decided that the forward would not feature against Benfica.
Mbappe leads the Champions League scoring charts with 13 goals this season, despite an issue with the ligaments on the outside of his left knee, which has troubled him since before the Christmas break.
The forward did not appear to be moving as freely as usual during Madrod’s 1-2 defeat to Osasuna in La Liga on Saturday.
Published on Feb 25, 2026
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