The UEFA Champions League Round of 32 clash between Real Madrid and Benfica in Madrid on 25 February 2026 (20:00 UTC) arrives with both sides still firmly in the playoff picture. Real Madrid sit 9th in the overall table on 15 points, while Benfica are 24th with 9 points, both carrying promotion status into the knockout phase.
Real Madrid availability
Real Madrid face several important absences. In midfield, Jude Bellingham misses out with a hamstring injury, and Dani Ceballos is sidelined by a muscle problem, reducing Carlo Ancelotti’s creative options between the lines. At the back, Éder Militão and young defender D. Huijsen are both unavailable due to muscle and hamstring injuries, limiting rotation in central defence. In attack, Rodrygo is suspended following a red card, removing one of Madrid’s established forwards. Even so, the hosts retain enormous firepower: Kylian Mbappé, the competition’s top scorer with 13 goals and 1 assist in 8 appearances, is fit and expected to lead the line, while Vinícius Júnior, who has contributed 2 goals and 4 assists, and playmaker Arda Güler, also on 4 assists, are available to support him.
Benfica availability
Benfica travel to Spain with their own concerns. N. Felix is ruled out by a knee injury, and winger G. Prestianni is suspended, depriving the Portuguese side of depth and pace in wide areas. There are further doubts in midfield and goal: Fredrik Aursnes, one of the team’s most influential players with 1 goal and 4 assists in this Champions League campaign, is listed as questionable due to inactivity, while goalkeeper Samuel Soares and midfielder João Veloso are also doubtful with injury and a shoulder problem respectively. Should Aursnes fail to make it, Benfica would lose their primary creative outlet from midfield, putting extra responsibility on Rafa and V. Pavlidis to carry the attacking threat.
Both squads are affected, but Real Madrid retain a greater share of their attacking output, with Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Arda Güler all available and in form. Benfica’s potential loss of Aursnes, combined with suspensions and injuries, could significantly blunt their creativity and make their task in Madrid considerably more demanding.
