When Real Madrid faces Mourinho's team at the Bernabeu

Real Madrid enters the Champions League play-off second leg with a 1-0 advantage from the Estadio da Luz. The game at Bernabeu is predicted to be highly competitive following the controversial first leg at Estadio da Luz.

This marks the third consecutive encounter between Real Madrid and Benfica in this season's Champions League, a scenario unprecedented in the tournament's history.

Alvaro Arbeloa’s squad is considered significantly stronger returning to the sacred Santiago Bernabeu, despite recently losing 1-2 to Osasuna and consequently losing the La Liga top spot to Barcelona after their 3-0 win over Levante.

The Madrid capital club is in excellent home form, having won all their last six home matches, scoring at least two goals in each game.

The 15-time European champions have progressed in 22 out of 23 occasions when winning the first leg in the Champions League knockout stages. The only exception was against Ajax in the 2018-2019 round of 16 (winning 2-1 at home, losing 1-4 away).

Notably, Los Blancos have only once won both legs in their last seven knockout ties, which was against Manchester City in last season’s play-off round.

In this match, star striker Kylian Mbappe remains Real’s main hope. The 27-year-old French forward leads the team in the Champions League this season with 14 goal contributions (13 goals, 1 assist). However, Mbappe is currently dealing with a knee issue, making his participation uncertain.

Regarding squad availability, Real Madrid faces significant setbacks with Jude Bellingham, defenders Eder Militao and Dean Huijsen sidelined by injury, and Rodrygo suspended. These absences pose challenges for Real’s midfield and attack.

Historically, Benfica has only overturned a first-leg home defeat once in eight European knockout ties, which was against Dinamo Bucuresti in the 1999-2000 UEFA Cup (losing 0-1 at home, winning 2-0 away). Benfica will rely heavily on the momentum gained from their recent encounter with Real Madrid in late January, when goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored in the 90+8 minute to secure a 4-2 victory and qualification for the play-offs.

This match was supposed to mark the “Special One’s” first return to the Bernabeu since leaving Real Madrid in summer 2013 after three years in charge. Unfortunately, Mourinho must watch from the stands due to a ban from the first leg. The absence of this experienced coach will surely impact tactical adjustments and motivation at a critical moment.

When he was head coach at AS Roma, Mourinho also missed over half of the matches at San Siro (Inter Milan’s home ground) for similar reasons.

In this match, coach Alvaro Arbeloa is under heavy pressure. The young strategist faces the darkest period since taking over Real Madrid. The recent 1-2 loss to Osasuna in La Liga exposed defensive weaknesses and questioned his personnel management skills.

This reunion between Real Madrid and Benfica is more than just a battle for progression. Behind the on-field events lies a complex scenario where Mourinho could directly influence the future of his former protégé Arbeloa. The outcome of the 90 minutes at Bernabeu will act as a referendum on whether Mourinho should return as Real Madrid’s head coach.

The upcoming clash marks the sixth meeting between these two teams in the European Cup/Champions League, extending a rivalry spanning multiple generations. Benfica remains one of the two rare opponents that Real Madrid has faced more than five times in the competition, with more losses than wins (Real Madrid has lost 3 and won 2 of their previous 5 encounters).

The 2025-2026 Champions League play-off second leg between Real Madrid and Benfica at the Bernabeu will kick off at 3:00 AM on February 26. With home advantage, extensive Champions League experience, and a lead from the first leg, Real Madrid is favored over Benfica. However, Real’s recent defeat to Osasuna offers hope to the Portuguese side.

Projected starting lineups for both teams
Real Madrid: Courtois, Carvajal, Asencio, Rudiger, Carreras, Valverde, Guler, Tchouameni, Camavinga, Vinicius Jr, Mbappe
Benfica: Trubin, Neto, Otamendi, A.Silva, Bah, Rios, Barrenechea, R.Silva, Schjelderup, Cabral, Pavlidis