Benfica is set to host 15-time champion Real Madrid in the opening leg of the UEFA Champions League knockout phase at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal, on Tuesday, February 17 at 9pm (20:00 GMT).
The two teams have recent history in this year’s competition, with Benfica beating Real Madrid in dramatic fashion on January 28, sealing their place in the playoff with a last-minute header by goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin.
The catastrophic defeat for Real meant they slipped out of the automatic qualifying positions for the round of 16 and were forced into the extra knockout phase, according to authorities.
Team News and Lineups
Benfica’s attack, which caused problems in their last fixture against Madrid, is close to full strength, with Vangelis Pavlidis primed to lead the line and Norwegian international Andreas Schjelderup ready to play.
Mourinho will be without key midfielder Fredrik Aursnes, who is sidelined with an injury, while Alexander Bah, Samuel Soares, and Joao Veloso all remain in doubt for the first leg against Madrid.
Real Madrid star forward Kylian Mbappe is poised to return for the playoff clash at Benfica after taking off the weekend La Liga fixture against Real Sociedad, officials confirmed.
Regional Context
The two-time winners’ remarkable recovery to take a playoff place – they finished 24th in the 36-team league phase, the last qualifying spot – was not only encapsulated by the defeat of Real, but by winning three of their last four matches after losing their opening four games.
Real are the record winners of Europe’s premier club competition with 15 titles to their name, the last coming in 2024, while Benfica have lifted the trophy on two occasions, and both of those came in consecutive years.
The two legs of the round of 16 will be played on March 10-11 and March 17-18, with the finale of this season’s Champions League to be staged at Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, on May 30.
Source: Al Jazeera Sport
