Champions League Playoff: Benfica vs Real Madrid – Preview, H2H Stats, Line-Ups & Prediction

Benfica host Real Madrid at the iconic Estádio da Luz on Tuesday night in what promises to be a compelling first-leg clash in the UEFA Champions League playoff round.

The Portuguese giants will draw confidence from their emphatic 4-2 victory over Los Blancos in the earlier meeting between the two sides, a result that adds significant intrigue to a tie featuring teams with contrasting recent trajectories.

It is a defining fixture for Benfica, who secured their place in the playoff round on the final matchday of the league phase. Finishing 24th in the standings, the Eagles qualified on goal difference following that dramatic 4-2 triumph over Real Madrid. Across eight matches, they managed three wins and five defeats, a campaign marked by inconsistency but ultimately sufficient to progress.

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Under Jose Mourinho, Benfica have demonstrated renewed resilience, winning four of their last five matches in all competitions while drawing once. Their latest performance — a hard-earned 2-1 away victory over Santa Clara — further strengthened belief within the squad ahead of this high-stakes encounter.

Home advantage could prove decisive. Benfica have been particularly assertive at the Estádio da Luz, consistently troubling visiting sides with their attacking intensity. That factor may be crucial against a Real Madrid team that has shown occasional vulnerability on European travels.

Statistically, Benfica registered 10 goals scored and 12 conceded during the league phase, figures that reflect both their offensive potential and defensive fragility. Notably, each of their last five Champions League fixtures has produced a decisive outcome (three wins, two defeats), underscoring a team that rarely settles for stalemates.

The standout moment of their campaign remains the 4-2 victory over Madrid, a performance that exposed defensive gaps while highlighting Benfica’s capacity to compete with elite opposition. They will aim to replicate that tactical discipline and attacking sharpness to secure a first-leg advantage before the return fixture.

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For Real Madrid, the trip to Lisbon comes amid strong domestic form. The Spanish champions have won four of their last five matches across all competitions, most recently delivering a commanding 4-1 win over Real Sociedad, with Vinícius Júnior scoring twice in a clinical display.

While their domestic performances have been convincing, Madrid’s European campaign has been more nuanced. They accumulated 15 points from eight league-phase matches, finishing ninth with five wins and three defeats. Despite an impressive tally of 21 goals scored, defensive lapses saw them concede 12, a vulnerability Benfica previously exploited.

Their last five Champions League outings have yielded two victories and three defeats — an uncharacteristically uneven run for a club of Madrid’s pedigree. The earlier 4-2 loss to Benfica exposed structural weaknesses in defensive transitions and organisation.

Nevertheless, Madrid’s superior goal difference and formidable attacking arsenal ensure they remain a major threat. Alvaro Arbeloa’s side will be determined to avoid a second defeat to Benfica this season and are expected to adopt a more measured, tactically disciplined approach in this first leg.

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• Benfica wins: 2

• Real Madrid wins: 1

• Draws: 0

Benfica (4-2-3-1): Trubin; Dedić, T. Araújo, Otamendi, Dahl; Barreiro, Barrenechea; Prestianni, Sudakov, Schjelderup; Pavlidis.

Real Madrid (4-4-2): Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Rüdiger, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Güler, Tchouaméni, Camavinga; Mbappé, Vinícius Junior.

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This encounter has the ingredients for another open and high-intensity contest. Benfica’s home strength and prior victory will embolden them, but Real Madrid’s attacking depth and experience in high-pressure European ties cannot be overlooked.

Expect a closely contested first leg, with both teams likely to score. A narrow draw or a slender Madrid away victory appears the most probable outcome, leaving the tie finely balanced heading into the second leg.

Benfca 1-2 Real Madrid