THE Champions League knockout stage reaches fever pitch this Wednesday as Real Madrid welcome Benfica to the Santiago Bernabéu looking to finish the job and book their place in the Round of 16.
Álvaro Arbeloa’s Real Madrid hold a narrow advantage heading into this crucial second leg. Los Blancos exorcised some of their January demons last week, securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory at the Estádio da Luz in the first leg. That smash-and-grab win gives them control of the tie, but with the away goals rule a thing of the past, the European champions know they cannot afford to take their foot off the gas in front of their home fans.
They face a Benfica side that knows exactly what it takes to breach this Madrid defence. The Portuguese giants famously stunned Madrid 4-2 in the league phase just last month, a result that forced the Spanish side into this treacherous play-off round in the first place. Knowing they have to score to keep their European dream alive, expect the Eagles to throw caution to the wind.
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The betting angle: Mbappe to finish the job?
With Jude Bellingham still sidelined by a hamstring injury until March, the spotlight remains firmly on Kylian Mbappé. The French superstar continues to carry the goalscoring burden and will be eager to add to his incredible Champions League tally on home soil. With Vinícius Jr and Trent Alexander-Arnold providing the ammunition, Madrid have more than enough firepower to punish any gaps left by a desperate Benfica side.
For Benfica, the game plan is simple: attack. Striker Vangelis Pavlidis terrorised the Madrid backline in January and will need to produce a similarly heroic performance here. However, with Antonio Rüdiger back marshalling the Real Madrid defence, the hosts are a much tougher nut to crack than they were a month ago. Expect Madrid to manage the game professionally and pick Benfica off on the counter.
- Our tip: Real Madrid to Win & Under 3.5 Goals
- The longshot: Kylian Mbappé to score first & Vinícius Jr to assist
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📺 How to watch Real Madrid vs Benfica
- Date: Wednesday, February 25, 2026
- Kick-off: 8:00pm GMT
- Venue: Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid
- TV Channel: TNT Sports 2 & TNT Sports Ultimate.
About the author
Craig Mahood
Craig Mahood is an expert in sports betting and online casinos and has worked with the company since 2020. He joined the Betting & Gaming team at The Sun in June 2022 and works closely with the leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to provide content on all areas of sports betting and gaming. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter at the Scottish Sun, covering Scottish football with particular focus on Celtic and Rangers, As well as football, he has covered horse racing, boxing, darts, the Olympics and tennis for the Sun.
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