Real Madrid x Benfica: where to watch live, time and likely lineups for the Champions League

Real Madrid and Benfica face each other this Wednesday, February 25, 2026, in one of the most anticipated clashes of the Champions League playoffs. The decisive match takes place at Estádio Santiago Bernabéu, at The Spanish team enters the field with a minimal advantage after winning the first duel in Lisboa by a score of 1-0.

The scenario for classification favors the Merengues, who play in front of their fans and depend only on a draw to continue in the continental tournament. Sob under the command of coach Álvaro Arbeloa, the Madrid team tries to maintain the defensive consistency presented in Estádio of Luz. On the other hand, Benfica, now led by the experienced José Mourinho, needs a victory by two goals to guarantee a direct place in the regular 90 minutes.

• Date: February 25, 2026.
• Time: 9pm (Madrid) / 5pm (Brasília).
• Location: Estádio Santiago Bernabéu, Madri, Espanha.
• Broadcast: Streaming via HBO Max.
• Referee: Slavko Vinčić (Slovenia).

Stream details and live coverage

Fans who want to follow the clash between European giants will have the HBO Max streaming platform as their main option, which holds the full broadcast rights to the competition. The service starts pre-game coverage with tactical analysis and last-minute information directly from the Bernabéu pitch. Não there will be broadcast on open channels for this specific event, concentrating the digital audience on paid platforms operating in Brazilian and European territory.

The audience expectation is high due to the weight of the shirts involved and the recent history of balanced clashes between the Spanish and Portuguese. Além of the official narration, viewers will be able to access real-time statistics and replays of crucial plays through the broadcast app. The 9pm time on Madri means the atmosphere in the Spanish capital is conducive to a gala night of European football, with maximum capacity expected in the stands.

Tactical scenario and team lineups

Real Madrid should take to the field with an offensive formation, despite holding the advantage of the draw, seeking to decide the outcome in the opening minutes. Arbeloa signaled the maintenance of Courtois in goal and a defensive line composed of Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Rüdiger and In midfield, the youth of Tchouaméni and Camavinga should dictate the pace of the game and the transition to the attackers.

The likely starting lineup for the home team includes Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Rüdiger and Carreras; Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Valverde and Arda Güler; Vini Jr and Gonzalo García. The absence of more experienced names in some sectors is compensated by the enlightened phase of Arda Güler, who has been fundamental in creating plays. Vini Jr, the center of attention after recent incidents, remains the main weapon of speed and dribbling to break through the opponent’s defensive blocks.

On the Portuguese side, José Mourinho put together an aggressive strategy to try to reverse the loss suffered at home. Benfica must start with Trubin; Dedic, António Silva, Otamendi and Dahl; Barrenechea, Barreiro and Rafa Silva; Sidny, Pavlidis and Schjelderup. Otamendi’s experience in defense will be vital to contain Madrid’s attacks, while Pavlidis will have the mission of finishing off the chances created by the creative sector led by Rafa Silva.

Extra-field tension and important absences

The atmosphere for this confrontation was intensified by events that occurred in the first game, involving accusations of racial insults against Brazilian striker Vini Jr. Uefa acted quickly and applied a provisional suspension to the Argentine player Prestianni, who is officially out of the duel in Madri. Essa’s absence forces Mourinho to reorganize his offensive sector, losing a piece that had been used frequently in the main team’s rotation during the season.

Sports authorities and clubs have reinforced security and awareness protocols to prevent new incidents from occurring at Santiago Bernabéu. Real Madrid issued internal communications asking for full support for its athlete, while Benfica seeks to maintain focus exclusively on the technical and tactical aspects necessary for classification. Slavko Vinčić’s refereeing will be strict regarding any disciplinary manifestation in the stands or on the pitch, aiming to preserve the integrity of the show.

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• Suspension: Prestianni (Benfica) meets Uefa sanction.
• Returns: Real Madrid has maximum strength in its defensive system.
• Arbitration: Equipe video (VAR) will have the assistance of German and Italian referees.

Tiebreaker criteria and regulations

According to the current rules of Champions League, there is no longer a goal scored away from home rule as a tiebreaker. Isso means that any win by Benfica by just one goal difference, regardless of the score (0 to 1, 1 to 2, 2 to 3), will take the decision to extra time. Persistindo the aggregate score is tied after the extra 30 minutes, the place in the round of 16 will be decided by penalty kicks, increasing the drama of the night.

Real Madrid plays to break a recent taboo against teams led by Mourinho, who knows Santiago Bernabéu’s shortcuts well from his successful time at the club. The Spanish team focuses on maintaining possession of the ball to wear down the opponent and avoid fatal counterattacks that could put the advantage at risk. The winner of this duel will join the other European giants who have already guaranteed direct passage to the next knockout stage of the competition.

Final preparation of clubs in Madri

During the training sessions held last Tuesday, both coaches prioritized adjustments to set pieces and medium-range shots. X__NM0____ The atmosphere at the CT of Valdebebas is one of optimism, but with extra caution to not allow unpleasant surprises in front of a qualified opponent.

Benfica arrived at Espanha yesterday afternoon and carried out reconnaissance of the Bernabéu lawn under tight security. Mourinho spoke at length with the central defenders, emphasizing the need for full attention to the movements of Gonzalo García and Arda Güler. The Lisboa team believes that a goal scored in the first 20 minutes can completely change the psychological panorama of the match and transfer the pressure to the home team.

Impact of the absence of Prestianni

The suspension of Prestianni removes from the Benfica a speed and dribbling option that would be essential to exploit the backs of the Real Madrid’s offensive full-backs. The young Argentine had been standing out for his aggressiveness in the final third of the field, and his forced exit opens up space for Schjelderup to gain more protagonism. The Portuguese technical committee tried to hide until the last moment who would occupy the vacancy, but the tendency is for the tactical scheme to suffer a slight retraction.

For Real Madrid, the opponent’s suspended absence brings a little more peace of mind for Alexander-Arnold, who will be able to attack with greater freedom. The English full-back has been a key player in the construction of offensive plays and should be used a lot by Valverde and Camavinga during the match. The Madrid strategy necessarily involves dominating the side corridors, where the team feels more comfortable to create numerical superiority against the defensive lines.