The last time Real Madrid visited Estadio da Luz, they left with a 5-1 defeat. This time, a Los Blancos side chasing a top-eight finish travels there again, only this time, to face a Benfica side battling to secure a playoff spot.
It's UEFA Champions League action on Wednesday, January 28, as Real Madrid travel to Estadio da Luz to face a Benfica side needing a victory to keep qualification hopes alive. Eagles boss Jose Mourinho will be aiming for a famous win against his former club.
📈Team Form📉
🔹 Benfica: 29th in the 36-team league phase table, two points adrift of the top 24.
🔸 Real Madrid: Third in the league phase table with 13 points from 7 matches.
📊Key Stats & Head-to-Head 📊
🔥 Real Madrid have won five of their seven matches in the Champions League this season.
🔥 Real Madrid have won eight of their last 10 UEFA meetings with Portuguese opposition.
🔥 Benfica have lost five of their six league phase matches this campaign.
🔥 While Real Madrid leads the historical H2H battle, Benfica's last win over Madrid was a 5-1 victory at Da Luz in their only previous home meeting.
🔬 What to Expect From Both Teams 🔥
🔴Benfica | Form: L🔴L🔴L🔴W🟢W🟢L🔴:
Despite being 29th in the table, Jose Mourinho's side can take heart from a strong 4-0 home win in the Primeira Liga at the weekend.
However, they have lost three of their last four matches across all competitions and with qualification hopes hanging by a thread, they will need a perfect result and help from elsewhere to reach the playoffs.
⚪Real Madrid | Form: W🟢W🟢L🔴W🟢L🔴W🟢:
Alvaro Arbeloa's side extended their winning run to three matches with a 2-0 victory away at Villarreal.
They boast formidable historical form against Portuguese teams and have Kylian Mbappe in red-hot scoring form, taking them to within one point of the La Liga summit.
👥 Predicted Lineups 👥
🔴Benfica (possible):
Trubin, Dedic, Araujo, Otamendi, Dahl, Aursnes, Barrenechea, Prestianni, Barreiro, Sudakov, Pavlidis.
⚪Real Madrid (possible):
Courtois, Valverde, Asencio, Huijsen, Carreras, Tchouameni, Bellingham, Guler, Mastantuono, Mbappé, Vinicius.
🔥 Matchups & Players to Watch 👀
✨ Kylian Mbappe — Has scored in three straight matches, equalling a Champions League scoring record.
✨ Vangelis Pavlidis — Ended a scoring drought with a brace at the weekend and will lead Benfica's attack.
✨ Nicolas Otamendi — Set to become just the third Argentine to reach 100 Champions League appearances.
✨ Vinicius Junior — The Madrid winger is central to his side’s goal-scoring chances.
💵 Odds Market on MSport 💵
💵 Benfica/Home to win = 4.15
💵 Real Madrid/Away to win = 1.85
💵 Both teams to score (GG/NG Yes) = 1.52
💵 Over 2.5 total goals = 1.53
This clash presents a classic European narrative: a confident Real Madrid side with a superb record against Portuguese teams faces a Benfica side desperate for a miracle to keep their Champions League journey alive.
With history offering hope for the hosts, Estadio da Luz is set for a compelling Champions League night.
Who do you think will take the points? Tell us your prediction in the comments.
🔗 You can follow the Benfica vs Real Madrid game here on MSport.
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