Real Madrid are back in Champions League action on Tuesday as they take on Benfica in the first leg of their play-off round tie. The match at the Estadio da Luz comes three weeks after the two teams faced off in the league phase, with the Portuguese side’s 4-2 win condemning Los Blancos to the extra knockout round.
Three weeks ago, Kylian Mbappe scored Real Madrid’s two goals, which took him to 12 for the season in the Champions League. However, there has been doubts about whether he would be able to add to that tally on Tuesday, given that he was not risked during the weekend victory over Real Sociedad due to an ongoing knee injury.
📋✅ ¡Nuestros convocados!
🆚 @SLBenfica pic.twitter.com/svfDz2BZAm— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) February 16, 2026
Real Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has hoped to have Mbappe available, and this will be the case. His squad for the trip to Lisbon includes the Frenchman, who should be able to start against Benfica.
Rodrygo Goes misses out again
It is good news for Real Madrid that Mbappe is ready to start, but they are still missing the likes of Rodrygo Goes and Jude Bellingham. The latter has been nursing a hamstring injury in recent weeks, and while it had been hoped that a return would be sooner rather than later, the Benfica match comes too soon for him.
It will be interesting to see how Real Madrid line up at the Estadio da Luz. Mbappe will start if he is at 100%, and the likelihood is that he will be partnered by Vinicius Junior, which would suggest that Gonzalo Garcia drops out despite scoring against La Real at the weekend. Furthermore, it would be no surprise to see Arbeloa stick with the midfield four that has worked in the last two matches, especially considering that Bellingham is not yet ready to return.
