Vinicius Jr. and Real Madrid look to settle the score with Champions League challengers Benfica at the Bernabeu on Wednesday, aiming to protect their 1-0 aggregate lead and secure a place in the Round of 16.

The Brazilian scored the only goal in the 1-0 first leg win last week, bagging a glorious goal that was overshadowed almost immediately by allegations of racial abuse from Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni.

Having coughed up the lead in the La Liga title race on the weekend with a slip at Osasuna, Madrid will hope to right the ship and prove themselves with former boss Jose Mourinho watching on from the stands while his assistant Joao Tralhao takes charge of the visitors. 

The Sporting News brings you a preview of the match as kickoff draws nearer, with predictions, picks, team news, expected lineups, and much more.

MORE: Latest Real Madrid team news and injury updates ahead of their upcoming match

Real Madrid vs. Benfica Prediction: Who Will Win?

• Date: Wednesday, February 25, 2026
• Kickoff Time: 9 p.m. local (3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT)
• Location: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu (Madrid, Spain)
• Referee: Slavko Vincic (SLV)

Real Madrid will likely look to grind down this match and prevent Benfica chances, something they’ve been at times ineffective at accomplishing across this season. Even when successful at doing such across most of the 90 minutes, they are often prone to individual errors which allow their opponent quality chances on net.

For their part, Benfica will largely be happy to absorb pressure and not open things up too early and see themselves make the task more difficult on themselves. Yet they have been effective at times on the counter across the previous two meetings between these sides, and should find success at such endeavors here.

The Spanish giants should advance to the Round of 16, but it will be nervy at times and could make for an exciting affair. 

Prediction: Draw (+400 on DraftKings)
Score: Real Madrid 2-2 Benfica (+1100 on DraftKings)

Head-to-Head Record: Real Madrid vs. Benfica

Before the three meetings in this year’s Champions League tournament, these two clubs had not met since the 1965 European Cup when Benfica advanced to the semifinals by a 6-3 aggregate score.

Prior to that, the first-ever matchup between these teams was in the 1962 European Cup final, when Eusebio’s Benfica completed a remarkable comeback, charging back from a 2-0 deficit to win 5-3, with the Brazilian scoring twice. Famed Madrid striker Ferenc Puskas became the first player to score a hat-trick in multiple European Cup finals in the defeat, as he bagged a triple just 39 minutes into the match.

Real Madrid vs. Benfica last five meetings

Real Madrid vs. Benfica: Form Guide

Real Madrid last five matches

Benfica last five matches

Real Madrid vs. Benfica Odds, Betting Tips

Benfica didn’t manage too much overwhelming attacking pressure in the first leg against these two sides, but absolutely could have made more of their 10 efforts on goal, putting just three on target. They occasionally looked dangerous on the counter before the incident between Prestianni and Vinicius gave the match an awkward tension and killed much of the energy.

Madrid have been mistake-prone at the back, and in the absence of injured defender Dean Huijsen, there could be some drama in this second leg at the home side’s expense. They have rarely made things easy on themselves this season.

Best Bet: Benfica over 1.5 total goals (+195 on DraftKings)

Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin has been exceptional in both matches against Real Madrid during this year’s Champions League competition.

He faced seven shots on target in the first playoff round leg worth 2.03 xGOT, saving six of them, effectively standing on his head. The Ukrainian was just as good in the league phase win, with the six shots on target he faced worth 2.23 xGOT, saving four.

He will likely be under heavy pressure here on the road, and is likely to be called on heavily yet again if the Portuguese side is to spring an upset at the Bernabeu.

Prop selection: Anatoliy Trubin 5+ saves (+140 on DraftKings)

Real Madrid vs. Benfica Team News, Injury List

Real Madrid team news

Real Madrid are without Rodrygo who has returned to training from his hamstring injury but is serving the final match of his red card suspension.

Dean Huijsen has picked up a calf injury and reportedly will not play, while Eder Militao, Jude Bellingham, and Dani Ceballos are all out for another few weeks.

MORE: A full roundup of Real Madrid injuries and team news

Benfica team news

UEFA have suspended Gianluca Prestianni for this match pending their investigation of the alleged racial abuse of Vinicius Jr. Also banned from taking part is Benfica manager Jose Mourinho who was sent off late in the first leg for two successive yellow cards and thusly suspended for the ensuing game.

Benfica’s only injury concerns are with Samuel Soares and Joao Veloso who are both doubts.

Real Madrid vs. Benfica lineups: Team news, predicted starting XI

This is how we think the two teams will lineup at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Real Madrid team news, predicted lineup vs. Benfica

Raul Asencio or David Alaba will take over along the back for the injured Dean Huijsen, while it will be either the newly-fit Dani Carvajal or Trent Alexander-Arnold to slot in at right-back.

Formation: 4-4-2

Courtois (GK)

Carvajal, Rudiger, Asensio, Carreras

Valverde, Guler, Tchouameni, Camavinga

Mbappe, Vinicius

Benfica team news, predicted lineup vs. Real Madrid

The biggest call for Jose Mourinho and acting Benfica boss for this match Joao Tralhao will be at the No. 10, where Rafa Silva was ineffective in the first leg and could be replaced by Georgiy Sudakov who performed well in the league phase win over Real Madrid.

Dodi Ludebakio will likely be the one to come in for the suspended Gianluca Prestianni.

Formation: 4-1-4-1

Trubin (GK)

Dedic, Araujo, Otamendi, Dahl

Barreiro, Aursnes

Ludebakio, Sudakov, Schjelderup

Pavlidis

Same Game Parlay Tips: Real Madrid vs. Benfica

Given their aggregate deficit, Benfica will likely open things up in the second half of this match. While we expect Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin to be heavily involved, as mentioned earlier, Thibaut Courtois is almost surely to play a role in this match as well as Madrid look to fend off the challengers and their likely late push.

After how passive both teams were in the first 45 minutes of the first leg, there is likely to be more of the same in this match with both sides happy to skate through to the latter stages with the scoreline in reach. Therefore, we’re backing the second half to feature most of the fireworks, as they did in both previous meetings between these two teams.

Same game parlay selections:

• Vangelis Pavlidis 3+ total shots (+130 on DraftKings)
• Both teams to score 2nd half — Yes (+170 on DraftKings)
• Benfica to win either half (+190 on DraftKings)

Same Game Parlay: +1100 on DraftKings